Until Then
by ChaseChick
Summary: Characters exist but the supernatural does not. Everyone is human! After a tragedy that left fellow friend Allison dead Lydia (who has just realized she has fallen for Stiles) and Stiles (who is dating Malia) are taken as insurance allowing Allison's killer to walk free. Will they be able to outwit their captors? Or will they meet the same grisly fate as Allison?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1- A Day In the Life of Lydia Martin

Lydia brushed her long locks in the mirror and then proceeded to weave them into a thick plait around her head. She applied some shimmery eye shadow and some liner and a bit of blush to make her pale complexion a little rosier. She eyed herself critically in the mirror before shaking her head at her shallowness. She retrieved her oversized purse which doubled as her school bag and hurried from her room.

She grabbed a protein bar off the table and the cash her mother had left her for lunch. Not that she'd use it, but she took it none the less. She exited her pristine house and noted the dull gray sky overhead and the heaviness of the air. Rain for sure. She doubled back and grabbed her cheerful pink umbrella from the coat rack before making her way to her little car.

She paused at the sound of an approaching car, her heart quickening at the sound but when a pickup passed by her driveway her fizzling hope left her feeling even emptier than she had been.

Some small part of her still held out hope that _he_ would have picked her up. Swung by just to see if she was okay and offer her ride to school so she wouldn't be driving in heels. He'd always used to admonish her for driving in her dangerously high shoes. What she wouldn't give for him to care enough to yell at her now. It had been three months since Allison had died. Three months since her world had been torn apart and she still didn't feel that it would ever right itself. If she was honest with herself things had been different since Allison had arrived more than a year ago causing a chain reaction of events which had derailed her perfectly laid plans.

Stiles had wormed his way into her life over time. She certainly hadn't planned on it. He was best friends with Scott who had fallen head over heels in love with Allison the moment she'd arrived in Beacon Hills. His dogged pursuit of Allison had won her over almost immediately and the two began a whirlwind romance. And wherever Scott went Stiles was usually not a half step behind.

Lydia smiled as she remembered meeting Allison. They had hit it off the first day when Lydia had taken the new girl under her wing. She'd called Lydia out right from the beginning, telling her she was smarter than she was letting on. Lydia had giving her a knowing smirk and the two giggled like little girls with a secret, she'd decided immediately that she liked Allison's gall.

Allison had thought that Stiles was a sweet guy, even if he was a bit spastic, and would be good for Lydia who had a reputation for dating jerks and bad boys. But she and Jackson were still having an on again moment so she had always brushed off the awkward boy's advances.

Stiles didn't push her or beg her to give him the time of day. Instead he offered what he could, his friendship. He helped Lydia when she'd had a flat on the side of the road in the pouring rain and Jackson had refused to answer. He offered her his coat while she sat freezing on the bleachers watching Jackson play lacrosse. He'd listened to her cry in her car one night when it was apparent that Jackson was moving on. Never once had he asked for anything in return.

Even when Allison and Scott had hit a rough patch and called it quits Stiles's loyalty to her never wavered. She had come to realize he was smart, his intelligence equally matched her own. The two were lab partners and often studied long into the night with each other quietly by the others side. He was also unflinchingly himself, being around him allowed herself to slowly drop her façade of the ice queen who cared more about fashion than world views. She started to let people see the real Lydia and let the walls around her down a little. She had a close circle of friends that she valued for the first time she could remember in a long time. People she could depend on, not just someone to gossip with at lunch or during class.

She was glad she had changed but also part of her was angry. If she hadn't allowed people in it might not have hurt so bad when they left. _Left, it was easier to say left. _She drifted back to reality as she pulled her compact car into the school lot and eased it in to a free space. Automatically her eyes scanned the lot for his blue Jeep. Her heart fluttered in her chest when she spotted it. Her veins ran like ice when she spotted its driver casually leaning over to kiss the passenger.

Falling in love with Stiles, that hadn't been part of her plan either, she wanted to scream in frustration. Of course she would have fallen for him the moment Malia had waltzed into school and given him the time of day. He'd always been there for her, he'd always been available. Now Lydia had been sidelined and it hurt. But she vowed that no one would ever know it. She was Lydia Martin. She ruled the school. Senior class president, home coming queen, and valedictorian, she recited her titles like a mantra as she held her head high and strutted up the walk to the school without a second glance to the blue Jeep or its occupants.

Lydia had been reapplying her lip gloss at her locker all the while trying to ignore the murmurings of the people around her when Scott's reflection popped up behind her in the small mirror. She gave him a soft smile before finishing and gathering her things.

"McCall." She greeted.

"Lydia." Scott replied back. He glanced at her over and his smile faltered. "How are you doing?"

She sighed at his concern. "I'm okay Scott. I should be asking you that you know." Barrow, the man arrested for the robbery and death of Allison Argent was officially on trial. Today marked the opening remarks and she knew he was a tense as she was. Her father, a prominent politician up for reelection had vowed that this case would set the course for how crime was going to be handled in Beacon County under his tenure. This case was his meal ticket with the voters. She had wrongfully hoped in the beginning he'd been drawn to the case and been so passionate about it because it had been Allison, that he'd been doing it for his daughter. She hadn't seen him in weeks.

Scott's smile slipped back into place and Lydia had to wonder how much of it was genuine and how much was just so people would think he was fine and quit pestering him. He and Allison had moved on to other people but she knew that they had both cared about each other more than anything. Her loss had leveled him completely for a while.

"Scott!" Kira called and they paused to wait for the petite girl with the dark hair that was trying to squeeze past the growing crowd of students to catch up with them. Lydia smiled warmly at the girl. Kira and Scott had been on the road to dating when Allison had died. Kira had pulled everything to a screeching halt but slowly they had picked back up again. Kira had confided in Lydia on several occasions about her worries that she was not Allison and was just a weak substitute in Scott's eyes. Though talking about Allison with her hurt it also felt good to just talk, to be needed again, to have her opinion matter to someone.

Lydia noted the easy way Scott's fingers threaded between Kira's. The smile on his face seemed more genuine than it had moments before. Lydia felt genuinely happy for the both of them, even if it did make her feel a little lonely.

"Stiles please…" Lydia's ears perked as she heard his name. Malia had her arm draped around his hip as they walked ahead of them. Lydia slowed her pace next to Scott and Kira trying to remain out of site. She didn't have anything against Malia. If she hadn't been dating Stiles she and Lydia probably would have been good friends. She just didn't like to be around when the two of them were on full display.

Kira gave Lydia a knowing glance and sad smile. Lydia had never admitted her feelings about Stiles to anyone, she'd just come to terms with them herself, but somehow Lydia had a feeling Kira knew. Perhaps her brush with unrequited love had made it easier to recognize in Lydia. Lydia smiled back at Kira and tried to make herself as small as possible. The hall was crowded so she couldn't simply slip past without being noticed so she simply allowed herself to fall in step behind them.

"No Malia. I told you I can't skip Chemistry. Harris is already after me as it is. I'll get detention for sure." Stiles argued with her.

"Please I don't want to go to Math." She whined incessantly. Malia didn't value academics and merely skated by in her classes.

Stiles just let out an exasperated sigh and shook his head. Malia turned and stuck out her lip as they reached the classroom door stopping in front of it causing a minor traffic jam. Kira and Scott didn't seem to mind as they paused to talk. Lydia just hung back awkwardly and pulled her phone and shot out a text. Lydia was glad that Stiles was putting his foot down at least. She hated to see him throw away his grades on her.

"Though you are adorable when you make that face the answer is still no." He leaned in capturing her bottom lip with his. Malia quickly deepened the kiss and things quickly became heated. Mr. Harris appeared outside his door to greet his students and cleared his throat causing the pair to break apart.

"See you later." Malia mouthed as she slipped her hand from Stiles's grasp and left down the hall her hips swinging side to side. Stiles waved to her awkwardly the other hand going to rub his neck nervously. His face was still red as he made his way into the classroom and noticed Scott behind him. The two started talking before taking their seats. Stiles slid into the lab desk behind Scott and Lydia's heart pounded as she sat daintily on the stool next to him crossing one leg over the other. She gave him a small smile and proceeded to busy herself with her phone as the rest of the students filed in.

_1 Text Message_ alert appeared on her screen and she clicked it. It was from Aiden. Her latest on again off again _boyfriend_ if she could call him that and that was using the term loosely.

_Got word of a job in Seattle, headed out this morning. Sorry I missed you. I'll call you if I'm back in town._

Lydia slammed her phone down a little harshly causing several pairs of eyes to turn to her, including Stiles's whiskey colored ones. While she knew Aiden was a guitarist and had been looking for a new band she hadn't expected such an abrupt departure on his part. Granted they had a symbiotic relationship where they used each other equally she didn't like being caught off guard.

"Everything okay?" Stiles leaned over closer to her and whispered.

"Fine." She forced with a fake smile hitched back in place. "Absolutely perfect."

Stiles looked like he was ready to rebuke but Harris glared at him and began his morning lecture. Lydia tried to force herself to pay attention to the notes Harris was putting on the board even though she'd already read this material weeks ago and knew it like the back of her hand. She just kept pretending she didn't see the furtive glances that Stiles and Scott kept shooting her way, pretended that she didn't feel good that Stiles was at least noticing her again for a change.

Harris completed his lecture and started in on their weekly lab assignment. "Each lab group is being assigned a different hypothesis. It will be your responsibility to test the hypothesis with an experiment of your own design. You will need to note your process along with its pros and cons in a three page paper." Students started grumbling as they received their individual assignments but Harris continued to drone over them. "This will be due Monday."

"But Mr. Harris that's not even a week! There's a lacrosse game on Saturday!" Greenburg had exclaimed loudly.

"Keep it up and I'll have it due before then." Mr. Harris responded with a steely glare.

Stiles slumped in his seat. He was on the lacrosse team too. Coach Finstock was particularly uptight about the upcoming match because it was against their rivals from the town adjacent to Beacon Hills. Practices were grueling lately and would only get worse. Lydia knew he wouldn't get out until well after dark every night and he'd be exhausted.

Lydia glanced at Kira and Scott. Both were on the lacrosse team so their time was even more limited. Even Lydia, who believed that academics should come before anything else, thought Mr. Harris was being particularly harsh.

The bell chimed loudly and the students began picking up their belongings and rushing out the door. "So, maybe we can get together tonight and make a plan so we can get this going?" Stiles asked her as he stood.

She nodded without speaking and made her way quietly from the room. She probably would just end up doing the project for the both of them. Malia was greedy with what little time Stiles did have left over after lacrosse. Lydia strutted back to her locker all the while compartmentalizing the crap that had already happened that morning; she'd process it another time. She was glad that she had art class next so she wouldn't have to keep up an exhausting façade of being perfectly fine.

She'd just settled onto her stool in front of her partially finished canvas when a text ping came over her phone. Stiles's goofy moniker flashed and she couldn't stop herself from smiling.

"_Let's meet at your place tonight for that project if that's okay?" _

"_Okay."_ She quickly sent back.

"_Great! I'll text you as soon as I'm done with practice!" _ She giggled a little at his need to use so many exclamation points. God she missed him. Maybe this project would be a good thing. A time to be with him, be a team again. Or maybe it was be a disaster and slow torture. Both options were plausible.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- Insurance

Lydia had just changed into her comfy sweatpants and tied her long hair into a messy knot atop of her head and was reading the local papers report of the opening remarks on the Barrow case when her cell phone chirped on her bedside table.

"_So sorry. Coach just let us out of practice. We spent most of the night doing suicides because Greenburg wouldn't keep his mouth shut. Let me grab a shower and I'll stop by… or is it too late?" _Stiles's text ran on just like he did.

She glanced at the clock that read 8:30 before tapping out a reply. _"That's fine. Mom's out tonight so no hurry." _She hit send and sat down on her bed. She had really thought he'd stood her up again this time. It wouldn't have been the first time he'd forgotten about her since Malia and Allison.

She could remember vividly about a month or so ago when he'd offered to come pick her up and take her out to eat for her birthday so she wouldn't have to suffer going to her father's house. She'd dressed for the occasion and waited anxiously looking out the window every few minutes looking for his Jeep. Minutes turned to hours and her mother gave her sad looks and told her she could take her out or she could still visit with her father if she wanted. She couldn't stand her mother's pitying looks; she'd been getting them a lot since Allison. She'd pretended that she'd gotten a call from Stiles and told her mom his Jeep had broken down and she was going to pick him up. She'd hopped in her car and was going to just drive around town for a while and find a quiet place to sit before going home. Her heart felt broken with every beat. That pain was nothing in comparison when she'd seen Stiles leaving Malia's house, hair all tousled and clothes a mess. She'd turned the corner before he could see her. The next day at school he never apologized for not picking her up. He had completely forgotten her and their plans to celebrate her birthday. She didn't have it in her to remind him.

Part of her had been furious with him and part of her was just glad he was doing okay. After the robbery and Allison he had been depressed. At her funeral he'd cried to Allison's father and to Scott and Lydia that he was sorry that it should have been him. That he'd understand if no one wanted to see him anymore. No one blamed him for Allison's death except for maybe Stiles himself.

She was broke from her morbid memories when there was a knock on the door. She leapt from her seat on her bed and jogged quickly down the stairs to open the front door.

"I thought you had a key..." She'd started as she pulled the door open. Instead of being met with Stiles's lanky form she was shoved roughly inside by two large figures dressed entirely in black. She felt the cold touch of a gun to her head as the other figure twisted her arms painfully behind her and tied them.

"Not a word. Do you understand?" His tone was deep and gruff and she nodded as the tears began to escape her eyes. Her lips trembling as she fought to keep in a sob.

She was led roughly to the kitchen where the guy with the gun sat down opposite her the gun trained on her should she try to move. "Find her phone." He ordered the bigger figure. The other intruder said nothing as he left to locate her phone.

He came back moments later and handed it to the other guy. The guy thumbed it on and glanced at the still open text message from Stiles. "Well this is convenient." He said before laughing humorously. He flashed the screen to the other guy who gave a menacing smirk.

"What do you want?" Lydia was able to get out, her voice barely above a whisper.

The figure with the gun gave her a look and for a moment Lydia feared he was going to hit her or shoot her. His expression immediately changed. "You are insurance of course."

When she still looked confused he shook his head. "C'mon you're a smart girl. I'm sure you can put two and two together now."

"B..B..Barrow?" She managed to utter.

His predatory grin told her she'd answered it correctly. Lydia had always prized herself on her ability to think herself out of situations. She had a habit of constantly picking apart movies and situations to see how she would have handled things differently. But at this given moment she couldn't get her mind to focus enough to think of anything. They had a gun to her head, her hands tied behind her back. She sat there defenseless with no weapon or means of escape. And Stiles… She closed her eyes and sucked in a desperate breathe. Stiles was walking right into this and she had no way to warn him.

As if appearing right out of her thoughts a swift rap came at the door. She opened her mouth to shout but found herself unable to warn him as she had planned as the man who had been standing behind her tied a gag around her mouth. Her eyes streamed steadily down her cheeks as she looked on uselessly.

"Lydia?" Stiles called through the door. He opened the door and floundered his way across the entry with his usual grace. "Hey Lyds?" He called just as one of the men approached from behind the door and placed the gun on the small of his back.

Stiles gave a jump and looked back startled. He'd finally come around the corner to see Lydia with the gun to her head in the kitchen and the seriousness of the situation finally clicked into place. The color drained from his already pale face. "What's going on?"

The man that had been standing behind him slammed Stiles against the kitchen table and ruthless wrenched his arms behind his back and secured them with the same rope they had Lydia's. They didn't take the same care as they had with hers though. She could already see the cords cutting into his muscular arms before the hauled him back into a chair.

"Are you okay?" He asked her his eyes roving over her form looking for any sign of injury. She simply responded in a shaky nod.

"What do you want?" Stiles asked the slight tremor in his voice giving away his fear.

"You know I'm really tired of answering that question." The lead henchman responded again. "Your girlfriend here asked me the same question. She figured it out. I'm sure you can too."

He stuffed a gag in Stiles's mouth and secured it with Duct tape instead of the rope that held Lydia's. He hauled Stiles to his feet roughly and led him out of the kitchen. The guy behind Lydia guided her along. She didn't struggle. There would be no point. She was just glad that wherever this was heading she wasn't at least going alone.

The men led the two teens out into the attached garage where a black SUV sat with another man waiting in the driver seat. Lydia cringed to herself. How long had these men been here? She had been in the house for hours on her own and never had suspected anything. Her stomach roiled with self-loathing. If only she'd suspected something sooner this whole situation might have been avoided.

They placed Stiles and Lydia in the middle seat. One man resumed a position behind them with the gun trained on them, the second man moved to the passenger seat and nodded to the driver. The garage door opened and he eased the black car out into the street and closed the door with the automatic remote she recognized as the one from her car. Lydia looked at her house until it disappeared from view. It looked as it always had. Pristine and proper, no one would ever know anything had happened.

When would someone notice they were missing? Her mom was on a date with her frequent boyfriend so who even knew if she'd be even coming home tonight. They had school tomorrow and Scott would definitely notice her absence but who knew if he'd pursue it too far. Would the Sheriff notice that Stiles hadn't returned home? She doubted that too. Between his late nights with lacrosse, Malia and random sleep overs with Scott, Stiles didn't always make it home. Add to that the Sheriff was a single parent who worked long hours and Lydia began adding up the hours in her head.

She just hoped that whomever had taken them hoped to only use them as leverage and they could bide their time until an opportunity arose to escape or to alert someone to their predicament.

She just hoped they could make until then.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3- Never Going to Happen

Stiles tried to keep track of where they were going. Out of Beacon Hills, exit 40 off the interstate, left, right on to county road 12, and on and on the turns went. He tried to memorize his captives, any distinguishing features he could discern in the brief glimpses of light he'd had.

Lydia's slight frame was leaning against him. He could feel her body tremble every now and then. He longed to reach is arm around her and cradle her but his hands were uncomfortably secured behind his back. His hands had gone to painful pins and needles and eventually gone completely numb. He tried not to think about the statistics that ran through his brain about kidnappings and timelines and how long they had. He tried not to think about the fact that they'd been allowed to see their captors' faces and where they were going.

As hours wore on Stiles felt his eyes droop no matter how much he was afraid to let them close. He hadn't gotten much sleep between school, Malia, lacrosse and the ever-present anxiety over Allison and then the Barrow case coming to trial. Coach had been particularly brutal in practice that evening and his legs and back were sore from the exertion.

Dawn was just breaking when the SUV finally pulled to a halt. Stiles longed for his cell phone so he could find out where they were. They'd swiped his phone after getting them into the vehicle, efficiently checking texts and calls to make sure no one would be waiting on him. They'd taken the battery from the phone and placed them in sealed bags that disappeared from his view.

Stiles was brought out of his half sleep when the vehicle slowed and turned off onto a dusty road in the middle of the nowhere. When the vehicle stopped the men in the front exited the vehicle and opened the two back doors and grabbed Stiles and Lydia while the man behind them followed behind them. They didn't speak as the led them into a brown cement brick building that was surrounded by junk cars and debris. Besides a distant dog barking Stiles couldn't hear anything noteworthy either. They led them down a short corridor and then in to a door on the left. Everything was made of the same cement brick and painted the same color as the outside, a muddy brown. Inside the room was a cell that looked a lot like a holding cell back at the Beacon Hills Sheriff's department. He'd seen it plenty of times when he visited his dad while he was at work.

Stiles glanced at Lydia who was looking at him. Her green eyes watered and her cheeks held tracks of old tears that had dried on her face. He tried to look at her reassuringly but he wasn't sure it was convincing. Hands behind him spun him around and roughly ripped the duct tape gag from him mouth. The tape had stuck good to his face and took a layer of skin with it when it was hastily ripped away. "Mother…" Stiles never got to the second word before he was back handed across his mouth.

Stiles could taste the blood from the spit lip but he didn't dare utter another word. He was led through the cell door where one of their captors went to work on the rope binding his hands. When he was free he was shoved roughly to the corner where he collapsed haphazardly onto a narrow cot. He watched as they led Lydia in and removed her bindings, albeit a bit more gently.

Stiles had rope burn on his wrists and they were a funny white color. He began moving them, squeezing them into fists to get some sort of feeling back into them. Almost immediately he longed for the numb feeling back as the painful pins and needles feeling returned. Lydia moved over to sit beside him on the lone narrow cot. She gently took his hands in hers and looked them over before rubbing them gently between her smaller ones.

She wasn't looking him in the eye but Stiles could tell be the small shake in her shoulders that she was crying as the guard slammed the iron cage shut and locked it. He pulled her into a fierce hug, bringing her into the safety of his arms and rocked her gently as he clumsily tried to stroke her hair and her back with his burning hands. "It's okay Lydia. We'll be okay. Shh." He whispered as he rocked her.

He didn't know that of course, he doubted it in fact. But he had to keep a positive outlook, for Lydia he had to be strong. He had to save her where he'd failed Allison. He would do anything in his power to ensure her safety.

"You don't really believe that do you?" She'd whispered sometime later. Her head rested on his lap and her bare feet were curled up under her.

"Of course I do." He admonished softly wearily eyeing the guard that was positioned outside the door. His lip was still smarting from the last hit he had taken and he didn't fancy another for speaking.

Lydia sat up and faced him. She tentatively brushed her finger over his swollen lip and looked him in the eyes. Her green eyes were blood shot and red rimmed, wide eyed in fear, but she smiled softly at him. "You always were a terrible liar." She said before sitting and tucking her feet under her Indian Style.

Stiles looked down where Lydia's meticulously painted toenails peeked out from under her bent legs. "Lyds… your feet! Do you want me socks or shoes or something?"

She bit her lip and shook her head. "Not just yet. But thanks for asking." She was quiet a moment before she continued, "Do you think anyone is going to notice we're missing?"

Stiles nodded. "I'm sure they will soon. Scott and Malia." He trailed off as he spoke her name.

"I'm sure they'll notice." She nodded. He grabbed her hand and held it in his. They were in this together and he was afraid to let go. It mirrored too much of how things had happened with Allison. He couldn't live through that again.

They sat in silence on the cot, his arm around her back as she rested against him. Stiles could see the silhouette of one of the guards by the door. Other than a small window that was too small and too high for him to see out of there wasn't much to look at.

He sat wondering if anyone knew what had happened to them yet, if anyone had noticed they had gone missing. Stiles tensed as a man with a gnarled looking face and deep tan skin came into view. He leaned in and grunted something to the guard before glancing at Stiles and Lydia with a predatory smirk on his face.

Lydia too had taken noticed and sat up, she clutched behind her at his shirt, he grabbed her searching hand and held it securely in his own. Her grip trembled in his but she clutched him tightly. "Ah… aren't you two precious!" the man sad as he smoothed down his dark trousers and rumpled button down shirt. The guard from the door entered carrying a folding metal chair and sat it down beside the man with a resounding clank and exited back out without a word.

The man paced in front of the bars staring at his captives for a moment before taking his seat. "If you do as you are asked it will be in your benefit," the man said as he pulled a cigar from his pocket and a lighter from his breast pocket and lit it. The smoke plumed as he puffed indifferently on the stogie eyeing the young couple. "We have informed both of your parents that we have you. And if they do as we have asked then you'll see them again. If not…" he shrugged his shoulders and then laughed at them as if he were viewing animals in a cage at the zoo.

"H-How long until we can go?" Lydia asked softly.

The man eyed her shrewdly before humoring her. "Once Barrow is free and my men have him I will let you both go. You can find your own way home I am sure."

Stiles's heart thudded against his chest. Basically he was asking that Barrow be freed and they were just going to take him at his word that he would let them free. He could just as easily kill them. They were his insurance, but they had none. Not to mention the odds of them setting Barrow free were slim, they didn't negotiate with terrorists.

"How can we trust that you just won't kill us once you have what you want?" Stiles asked. He could feel Lydia shaking like a leaf in his grasp.

"Well Mr. Stilinski you are just going to have to hope that I'm a man of my word." He stood and stretched taking another puff off his cigar.

Stiles had a sarcastic comment just poised on his lips but he bit his tongue. He would not endanger Lydia in any way shape or form. "Why do you want Barrow free?" Lydia asked him before the man left.

"Well… because he's my son Ms. Martin. And I'll do anything to get him home."

The man eyed them critically before muttering something to the guard and leaving their view altogether.

"Stiles?" Lydia asked as she turned and collapsed in on him. "We are trusting our fate with him?" She asked as the tears started to spill.

"We just have to hope that he keeps his word Lyds." He said as he pulled her all the way into his lap and rubbed her back trying to get her to calm down even though he himself was reeling.

Their entire existence and survival was hinging on the word of a man who's son had shot Stiles, had killed Allison, on his father or her father somehow setting Barrow free without getting caught. Stiles swallowed thickly and brushed a stray tear away before Lydia could see. It looked like the likelihood of them reuniting with their family while still living was quickly dissolving into the 'never going to happen' category.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4- Waiting Game

After their visit with Barrow Sr. as Lydia had internally dubbed him, Stiles and Lydia spent the day napping against each other. The only interaction they'd had was when a guard had slid two bottles of water and day old sandwiches to them through the gaps in the bars.

They greedily drank from the water even though it was warm. Lydia stopped half way through to ration the last half of her bottle. Styles had finished his before he'd realized her plan. He sheepishly looked at hers and then shrugged. Nothing they could do about it now. Just hopefully their captors would be generous with the food and water rations and wouldn't let them wither away. The bread of the sandwich was dry and crusty, the chicken salad a little salty but to Lydia it was gourmet. She hadn't ate dinner the night before and as the sun hung low enough in the sky for them to see through their little window she'd realized it was quickly approaching early afternoon.

The cell they were in was sparse. Just the small cot with a flat pillow and scratchy wool blanket occupied the small cell that was only 10 foot squared. The floor sloped down to a drain in the middle and Lydia cringed at the thought of what that might be needed for. Thanks to her limited food and water intake she hadn't found it necessary to use the bathroom yet. But what would happen when she needed to?

She and Stiles hadn't spoken much throughout the day. There wasn't much to discuss. They both knew what the other was thinking. It was just a painful waiting game.

When the sun had sunk below the horizon the lights automatically came on in the hallway. Their cell was still shrouded in shadows for a while until a guard walked in and flipped on the light. Lydia brought her hand up to shield her eyes from the sudden blinding brightness blinking away the involuntary tears that had welled up in them.

"Bathroom." The guard grumbled in a heavy accent. He reached over and unlocked the door and pointed to Lydia. "You first." Stiles whiskey eyes locked with hers, she could read the worry in them. He didn't have to speak to know that he was warning her to be careful.

"Back in a jiff." She responded, her attempt at a cheery manor falling flat as her voice cracking from disuse.

He simply nodded and leaned back on the cot to show the guard he would not be an issue. The guard had a gun in his belt but he hadn't drawn it on her at least. He grabbed her arm and led her forward out of their cell room and down the hall to a small door on the right.

He shoved her in the room, "Five minutes." He stepped back out in the hallway pulling the heavy door closed with a thud. She could still see his shadow through the hazy privacy glass. The room was tiny. It housed a small shower with a barely there mildew encrusted curtain in the corner, a small stall with a toilet and a sink with some soap and a heavily spotted mirror.

She moved quickly to the stall and did her business. She used the sink and got the water hot as she could and tried to scrub away the traces of her dried tears and smeared mascara as best she could, she scrubbed her hands and dried off. The guard didn't knock just barged open and motioned for her to follow him just as she had finished. He had his hand on her upper arm and led her back to the cell.

Stiles had given up waiting calmly on the cot and had resumed his frantic pacing; his hand was rubbing the back of his neck, something she knew he did when he was nervous or unsure. When he caught site of her he stopped suddenly and relief flooded his features. He stepped back to allow them to let her in.

Once the guard had deposited Lydia back in the cell he motioned for Stiles to put his hands in front of him. The guard clamped cuffs down on him cinching them down past uncomfortable and more of the painful range. Lydia watched as he hissed through his teeth but didn't say anything. The guard roughly grabbed him by his upper arm and led him out of the room down to the bathroom.

Now it was Lydia's turn to wait anxiously for Stiles's return. Through this entire ordeal at least they had the other. She wasn't blind. She knew they were treating him differently than her. They were rougher with him, either they were worried about him being an issue or he just rubbed them the wrong way she wasn't sure.

She worried that Stiles might say something; he was prone to saying whatever popped into his head when he was tired or uncertain. It had gotten him into a lot of trouble over the years. She just hoped he had enough sense to do as he was told and keep quiet.

Their best ally was time right now. The more time passed and the longer they remained unharmed the better off they were. She bounced on the balls of her still bare feet as she listened eagerly for his return. When she heard noises in the hallway she had assumed it would have been Stiles and the guard. Instead she was surprised to see Barrow, Sr. and a guard carrying a table behind him. The guard bent down to unfold the heavy looking card table and left to retrieve the metal chair Barrow, Sr. had occupied earlier from somewhere out in the hall.

Lydia looked at the table and chair warily. She'd hoped they could just be left alone through the night but it looks like they had other plans for them. She swallowed around the lump in her throat at the table and chair. For inanimate objects they were causing her awful lot of anxiety.

A few moments later Stiles and the other guard returned to the room. The guard had his arm wrapped tightly around Stiles's bicep; a second hand was wrapped around Stiles's neck. Stiles stumbled as he tried to keep step with the guard, with his hands still handcuffed behind him it threw his balance to be leaned at such an angle.

"Ah perfect timing Adams. Mr. Stilinski nice to see you again!" The man was playing the jovial card but from the way his shoulders were stiff and his cheek kept twitching Lydia feared he was anything but.

"I was just bringing him back from the john. Want me to lock him up?" The guard called Adams asked.

"No. Not yet. I have another need for Mr. Stilinski first." Lydia sucked in a breath and grabbed the bars clenching her hands around the cold iron. She could see Stiles still as he processed the request. "Cuff one had to the chair if you would."

Adams pushed Stiles to the metal chair; he uncuffed his left hand and cuffed his right hand to the arm of the metal chair. Lydia could see the sharp red line on his wrist where the metal had bit into his flesh. Stiles eyes moved over to her and she tried to give him a small reassuring smile but instead it turned into more of a grimace.

The other guard returned into the room carrying a video camera and tripod which he sat up in the other corner of the room where it could see Stiles. With every passing second Lydia fought the urge to scream. Whatever this was heading towards it didn't look like it was going to bode well for Stiles.

"Whenever you are ready sir." The other guard said as he'd finished the camera set up. Barrow, Sr. just simply nodded and the guard punched a button and sat waiting his next command.

"So Mr. Stilinski I thought it might be a good time to get to know you." Barrow, Sr. began. She saw Stiles squint at him trying to figure out his angle. Lydia began to hold her breath before remembering she needed oxygen if she didn't want to faint.

"What do you want to know sir?" Stiles asked softly.

"I want to know what it felt like to hold that girl in your arms while she bled out?" There was no mistaking the malevolence in his voice now. The jovial old man act was dropped. It made Lydia's blood run cold. She saw Stiles look to Lydia as if expecting her to tell him what to do.

"I, I don't… don't understand." Stiles stuttered.

Barrow, Sr. took a quick step forward putting his face up to Stiles and grabbed his neck viciously. "It was your fault she died you know. If you hadn't of been there she could have hid behind the counter you know. She could have ran out the back. Instead she put herself in harm's way to save you. I want to know… was it worth it? Were you worth saving?" Barrow let go of Stiles neck abruptly and stepped back.

Stiles swallowed thickly his Adams apple bobbing, his entire body stiff with tension. "Why were you even there that night Stiles? Visiting… Allison was her name yes?"

Stiles simply nodded yes in a silent answer to his question. "Why were you there?"

After realizing that Barrow wasn't asking a rhetorical question he hastened to give him an answer. "I had stopped to ask her about Lyd… Lydia, a-and to see how she was doing since she'd seen Scott and Kira on a date the day before." Stiles answered, she could see the sweat beading up on his forehead.

"Hmm..." Barrow seemed to ponder this for a moment before moving forward and leaning on the table in front of Stiles. "You see… I had the pleasure of speaking with your father today Stiles." Lydia could see Stiles involuntarily flex his hands as he heard Barrow mention his father. "He didn't seem overly helpful. Even when I told him I had you and Lydia he didn't think he could let my son just go free, legally or otherwise. You know for an elected Sheriff he should work on his people skills." Barrow chuckled a little at his own joke.

Lydia's hands ached with how hard she was clenching them around the bars. She knew that Barrow was about to reveal the point to this whole charade and she could barely stand the ambiguity of it all.

"So what do you want?" Stiles asked looking up at Barrow a little defiantly. Apparently he didn't appreciate being toyed with.

"Well Stiles," Barrow said as he stood up and pushed his sleeves above his elbows, "We're going to show your dad just how serious I am."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5- Unnecessary Violence

Stiles had known deep down that this was where Barrow was headed when he'd cuffed him to the chair. He had just hoped he'd been wrong. He'd noticed how the evil henchmen had treated Lydia with kid gloves but were not too concerned over roughing him up a bit. He was okay with that. He didn't know what he would do if they hurt Lydia. He didn't think he could stand it. Physical pain, though painful, was nothing compared to the soul sucking pain of seeing someone he cared about hurt and being helpless to stop it. Allison covered in blood flashed before his eyes making him squeeze his eyes shut in attempt to ward off a fresh wave of tears.

He had prepared himself for some level of pain, he knew it was upon him but a gasp still escaped his lips as he was backhanded roughly across his face snapping his head brutally to the side. Stiles shook his head a little to clear the black spots from his vision only to have another blow follow on the other side of his face. This time he could taste the blood in his mouth as he bit through his lip.

When Barrow stopped to admire his handy work Stiles took a chance to look up at Lydia who was desperately clinging on to the bars as if they were holding her upright. She had tears streaming down her face and was chewing her lip to pieces. Her eyes were trained on the floor at her feet as though she couldn't lift her head up anymore. She looked like an angel to him, the one thing keeping him going and not giving up altogether. Clad in her low slung grey sweat pants and a t-shirt with an off the shoulder sweatshirt she looked absolutely beautiful to him.

"Lydia, look at me." Stiles managed to utter. She snapped her head up at him in surprise at hearing him speak. "Please don't watch okay?" She looked like she wanted to argue but he rushed on sure Barrow as about to unleash something worse than a few backhands. "Babe please listen to me okay? I want you to go in the corner and I want you to put the pillow over your head. I don't want you to h-hear." Stiles started to stutter because out of the corner of his eye he could see Barrow was giving him a sick smile.

A vicious upper cut to his abdomen had cut off his ability to speak. He curled in on himself and if it hadn't of been for the chair he would have been curled on the floor. He coughed and felt sick to his stomach; he could taste the bile forming in the back of his throat, the vague taste of the chicken salad threatening to make its reappearance.

"You see Stiles, the security cameras in the store never caught my son's face. You were the one who described him to the authorities; you were the one that picked him out of the lineup. So if they don't have you… they won't be able to connect my son to the crime beyond a reasonable doubt." Barrow's eyes looked slightly crazed and Stiles gulped as he looked at him from his hunched state. He could start to see the family resemblance. His son's face haunted his dreams nightly; it wasn't one he would ever forget. And now, it would seem, his father's face would be one burned into his memory too.

"You got shot that night didn't you Stiles? I mean no place terrible like Allison's shot to the gut but I bet it still didn't feel good did it? Where did you get shot again? The arm?" Stiles kept his mouth closed shut knowing that Barrow was on a tirade and wasn't really seeking answers. He glanced to the cell behind Barrow to see that Lydia had acquiesced to his request and sat facing the wall with her hands over her ears, her legs drawn up against her chest protectively rocking back and forth as she cried. At least she wouldn't have to be scarred by whatever happened to him.

Stiles had been shot in the left shoulder that night. Allison had seen Barrow coming and tried to pull him over the counter. He remembered feeling the hot poker like burn followed by a stabbing pain. He'd been a fumbling mess of limbs that he couldn't quite seem to get over the counter. He'd been too slow and it had cost Allison her life as she'd been shot twice trying to get him to safety.

He was brought out of his reverie when Barrow's face was in his. Stiles could smell the liquor on his breath, the stale smell of body odor and sweat. Barrow tugged Stile's t-shirt from his neck to reveal the large round puckered scar from the bullet. It had faded from the angry red that it was to a softer pink. It was still a little rough and he had a matching incision on the back where the doctor's had gone in to retrieve the bullet that had lodged itself in there.

"Hmm… looks like that might of hurt. Now tell me does this hurt?" Barrow asked as he plunged a metal spike in the exact spot that the bullet had pierced his skin.

Stiles feet flailed out catching Barrow in the shin with which the old man back handed him for. The spike wasn't very big around, but it was long enough that Stiles could see where it still protruded from the skin. It had a head on the end almost like a roofing spike. Stiles couldn't hold the vomit any longer and wretched up his stomach's meager contents on to the floor.

"I bet your old man is going to love this show. You want to wave to your father Stiles?" Stiles could barely hold his head up but Barrow solved that by coming around behind him and grabbing him by his hair and ripping backwards. He twisted his head around to the corner and pointed to the camera. "Don't be rude Stiles. Say hi to your dad."

Stiles eyed the camera before hoarsely answering. "It's okay dad. I'm okay." Stiles sucked in heavy breaths.

Barrow blew out a slow breath. "You might be okay for now Stiles but for how long? I'm just getting started." Barrow reached forward and twisted the spike still lodged in his shoulder and Stiles screamed in agony until he felt his throat was going to bleed. He couldn't hear anymore just a loud ringing in his ears. Black spots started to dance in front of his eyes and he hoped he'd just pass out soon.

He did lose consciousness, but it couldn't have been for very long. He came to as one of the guards uncuffed his hands and roughly hauled him to his feet. They shoved him carelessly into the cell and Stiles would have fallen if Lydia's soft arms hadn't caught him and helped guide his heavy frame to the cot. She was smaller than he was and his momentum still allowed him to hit the cot harder than he would have like, he let out an involuntary whimper as the movement jarred his aching body.

Stiles heard the clang of the door being shut and locked and the laughter of the guards as they left taking the camera with them. Stiles blinked away the black spots that had clouded his vision again before training them onto Lydia's face. Her eyes were red rimmed and the tears still flowed down her face. He brought his good hand up and cupped her cheek and brushed the tears with the pad of his thumb. "You're really beautiful when you cry." He whispered. Lydia let out a sob and turned her face pressing a kiss into his palm before clasping his hand into both of her smaller ones.

"Stiles. My God. Are you okay?" She looked him over her eyes widening when she caught sight of the spike protruding from his shoulder. Her breathing quickened and he feared she was about to have a panic attack.

"Hey, Lydia look at me. I'm okay, its okay. Take a few deep breaths okay?" Stiles found it easier to focus on Lydia. It was easier to stay strong when he worried about her. His face throbbed in time with his heart beat and he'd decided that the shot to his shoulder had been nothing compared to the agony of someone driving a spike through it and then twisting it cruelly.

He could see that she tried to rein herself in and pull together a calm demeanor much as he was doing. She brought a shaky hand to her mouth and slowly took in a few deep breaths and swallowed back tears. "How bad do you hurt?" She asked softly.

"I'm fine." He lied through his teeth. She gave him an admonishing look. "Honestly it feels like I've been run over and impaled." She gave him a soft smile before cradling his head in her hands and turning it gently to look at the wounds on his face.

Her eyes studiously avoided the red blood trickling down his left arm. She lifted his shirt to peer under and Stiles could see the redness that was sure to bruise right about where his ribs ended. It did hurt to take in deep breaths. Lydia was silent for a few moments before speaking. "When you were shot did it hit any major veins or an artery or anything?" Her voice was clinical, almost detached, much like Melissa, Scott's mom, had been when he'd been wheeled into the ER.

He looked at her with a puzzled expression. "No. Why?" He wasn't sure where she was going with this.

"Well that's good at least." She let his shirt fall back down before she turned and retrieved her water bottle from under the cot.

"Yeah I guess. Why is that good?" He asked as he shifted to a sitting position and ground his teeth together as white hot agony spread from his arm across his body. He leaned back heavily against the wall and took several pants before trying to slow his breathing through his nose.

"It means that if he used that as a target it means that he probably didn't hit any major veins or arteries when he stabbed you with that." She motioned at the metal prod as if she couldn't be brought to saying what it was.

He nodded and spoke before thinking. "That would be why it didn't bleed more when he twisted it." He could see the little color Lydia had in her face drain and she swayed a little on the cot. Stiles shot his good arm out to steady her and gave her a concerned look. "You okay?"

"You know I should be the one asking you that." She gave him a soft smile. "You know we are going to have to pull that out right? It'll be better in the meantime. Who knows how long we'll be stuck here, as long as it's not holding any blood vessels closed we'll be better off pulling it out."

Stiles nodded and pulled in a deep breathe when he realized what she was suggesting. "Oh goodie. And here I thought my little torture session was over for the evening."

She smiled at him even as his poor attempt of humor fell flat. She pulled the pillow case off the pillow and ripped it down the middle. She managed to get the thin fabric to rip into four long strips. It wasn't much but it would have to do.

Stiles watches as Lydia tried to calm down her breathing, her skin was clammy and pale and he worried she was going to faint. He knew what was about to happen would probably hurt far worse than he wanted to think about but he kept a stoic front up because he need to be strong for her. "It's okay Lyds. Go ahead. Just do it quick. If I p.. pass out it's okay it's probably a good thing. Just wrap it up tight okay?" She nodded in agreement before standing up and putting her knee between his legs to gain leverage on the spike. Her dainty figures grasped on and looked once more at him before she pulled.

He felt the burning agony all over again before he blissfully passed out.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – For Now

Lydia stared at her red stained hands in her lap and suppressed a shiver. She looked over to Stiles who was lying down on the cot, his white shirt crusted in blood. At least the bleeding had slowed and may have even stopped. He'd passed out immediately when she'd tried to remove the spike, something she was grateful for as it took her two or three good tugs for it to break free. She swallowed down her nausea at the memory of it.

She'd spared a little water to flush the wound before wrapping it with the strips of the pillow case. She wished she'd had something more sterile and some antiseptic but given their circumstance it would have to do. While he'd been out she'd ripped off part of her flimsy t-shirt from under her hoodie and dabbed his bleeding face here and there.

She was nervous that he hadn't woken up yet. She feared he might have suffered a concussion based on how many bruises his face was sporting but she thought he would be better off if he slept now. She had closed her eyes and tried to muffle the sounds like he'd ask but she could still hear the echoes of his screams that had somehow still reached her ears with her hands clasped tightly over them. She was glad she hadn't watched, she knew she'd never forget the sound, she knew watching it would have traumatized her even further.

He looked so young and innocent laying there, like for once the weight of the world wasn't resting on his shoulders. Stiles always cared deeply for those he was close to. He always made sure Scott was prepared for school and lacrosse; he tried to help him with Allison and even Kira. He cared deeply about Allison too, it was part of the reason he'd stopped that night, to see how she was doing.

Sitting in that cell with just her thoughts for company she could think back and start to see how Stiles had been carrying around the guilt with him. He'd told everyone he'd been fine, that Allison wouldn't blame him that it was hard but he was dealing. Of course he wouldn't want to burden those closest to him. He'd carried that guilt with him in silence and it had weighed him down. Lydia had been stupid to think that he'd just moved on as if nothing was wrong.

She knew that he worried about his dad, he'd lost his mom some years back and his greatest fear was that his dad would be ripped from him as well leaving him an orphan. He didn't want his dad to stress any more than was necessary. Especially since his dad had suffered a mild heart attack a year ago Stiles was careful to try and reduce the stress his dad saw. Of course that was difficult with his dad being the Sheriff and Stiles being… well Stiles. But he really tried, Stiles was the type of person to always put others welfare before his own. The fact that Allison had died to save him was something that must have ate away at him.

Stiles mumbled in his sleep, his head moving from side to side. She couldn't make out most of what he was saying other than "no" and "Allison". She was about to rouse him from his sleep when he yelled loudly and tried to bolt upright. He moaned before he got fully upright and fell back against the cot and let out a soft whine.

"Hey," she said as she moved to kneel beside him on the floor. She ran her hand through his sweaty tresses trying to offer him comfort any small way she could.

"Hey," he answered softly. Her heart squeezed when she could hear the pain that laced voice. She wasn't sure if it was from his physical state or the nightmare he'd just escaped from.

"How you feeling?" He closed his eyes a moment and blew out a soft breath.

"Like I've been run over and stabbed. But I suppose I'll live." Her hand stopped stroking his hair. She didn't want to overstep any bounds with him. She wasn't sure really where they stood. He'd pulled away so suddenly after Allison and then moved on to Malia.

"Hey don't stop, that felt good." He whined at her giving her his puppy dog eyes and pushing his head into the palm of her hand hoping to encourage her to into resuming her ministrations. She gave him a smile and felt her cheeks flush and continued combing his hair, scratching his scalp softly with her manicured nails. "You okay?" He asked her as his honey colored eyes locked on hers.

She sucked in a breath at the intensity in his gaze. It's like he could see right through her. He hadn't looked at her like that in months.

"I'm worried about you." She said as a tear escaped from behind her eye and she hastily wiped it away.

"Hey I'm okay. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." He answered as he cupped her cheek.

"I've missed you." She responded as her tears continued to flow much to her irritation.

Stiles didn't answer for a moment. "I've been right here." He said as he dropped his hand from her face.

"No you haven't." She admitted. She hated bringing this up now in his current condition but they hadn't talked much at all since it all happened and she found she couldn't seem to hold back. She could see him flinch, the pain evident in his eyes before he closed them.

"I just… I just didn't think it would be a good idea for me to be around you Lyds… I could see how much you were hurting. And to know that I caused that, that if it had been me she'd still have been here with you." Lydia's tears returned without her consent. She shook her head vehemently disagreeing with what he was saying but she said nothing. "I haven't been able to look Scott or you in the eyes since… I'm sorry. I'm just so sorry. I wish it had been me. I think it would have been better." He finished and for the first time since this whole thing had begun he broke down.

She leaned and kissed him on the temple and wrapped her arms delicately around his head. "Stiles baby no! It wasn't your fault. I don't… I know I couldn't live without you. Allison… it was a tragedy. The fault lies with Barrow not you!" She backed up and put her hands on the side of his face. "Look at me please!" She demanded, she didn't think he'd heard her until he brought his hand up to where hers rested on his cheek and opened his eyes.

Her heart felt like it was going to break into a thousand shards as she witnessed the complete and utter despair in his eyes. "It was not your fault Stiles. I don't blame you, Scott doesn't blame you. When.. When it all happened I ran into that hospital looking for you both. Melissa had caught me and dragged me back kicking and screaming to Scott in the waiting room. They told me she was gone, you were in surgery… but I wouldn't believe that you weren't gone too until I could see you for myself. I was so scared that he'd taken you from me too. I didn't for one second blame you. God, I have just been so worried about you. And then you just kind of disappeared." She trailed off, afraid she'd said too much. She didn't mention Malia and how she felt like she had been replaced with a better model.

He didn't say anything for a while and she thought he might have went back to sleep so she stood and climbed back onto the end of the cot. She tucked her toes under the blanket, they were a little cold not that she'd say anything. After a few minutes of silence she heard him ask "Can you help me sit up?"

"Why? You should be getting some rest." She admonished and she cringed at her mom voice.

"I know but I just, I really need to see you. I can't… I just keep dreaming about it… I have nightmares all the time… and sometimes it isn't Allison that I lose… it's my dad, Scoot… you." She could hear his breath catching in his throat.

"Would it hurt you if I lay with you instead?" She asked, her heart pounding in her chest for an entirely different reason.

"It'd be worth it." He responded as he shifted on to his good shoulder and made room for her.

She stood and slid under the blanket next to him. It was especially warm and she resisted the urge to wrap around him tightly. She faced him and he tucked her head under his chin, she wrapped one hand lightly in the fabric of his t-shirt just over his heart. "Better?" She asked.

"Definitely." He said softly and she could already tell he was drifting out again. She too could feel her eyes begin to droop in exhaustion. She'd never felt so warm and so completely comfortable. Which if she stopped to think about it was entirely crazy given their current circumstance.

Even though her exhaustion tried tugging her weary body to sleep his confessions caused her thoughts to run in circles. That the nightmares featured her was definitely news, she'd file that nugget away for analysis later when things weren't so dire. His confession that he'd wanted to die on the other hand… that would haunt her until the grave. She fell asleep listening to the steady thump of the heartbeat of the by next to her oblivious to how bad things were going to get, for now things were okay. For now.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7- Back Home

Sheriff Stilinski rubbed his tired eyes again and took another sip of cold bitter coffee in his cup. He'd been up for forty eight hours straight and he didn't think he'd ever sleep until his son was home safely. He'd come home from a long day at the station after being present with District Attorney for the opening remarks of the Barrow trial and then followed the rest of the day and evening up with reports and overseeing the booking on the handful of arrests his deputies had made.

It had been nearly ten before he'd headed home for the evening and all he'd wanted to do was eat something not out of a carton get a hot shower and go to bed. When he'd pulled in the drive he immediately noticed that Stiles's jeep was not there. That wasn't that unusual. His curfew wasn't until 11 and even then he stayed at friend's houses occasionally during the week.

It had been nearly midnight when he'd laid down in bed but he couldn't sleep, he hadn't heard from Stiles. The kid always checked in with him when he was staying elsewhere. Even when he wasn't completely honest with him with what friend he was staying with he always texted him to be sure he was okay. It was something that he did after his mom died. The Sheriff knew that Stiles worried about him to the point of madness so it felt unsettling to not have heard from him at all.

He'd tried calling Stiles with no answer. By then he'd been out of bed pacing as he started through his mental phone list. First he'd tried Melissa and Scott; neither had heard from him since he'd left lacrosse practice. Scott had said that he was going to Lydia's house to get started on a project for Harris. He'd tried Lydia next, no answer. He'd tried Stiles's girlfriend Malia who told him she hadn't seen him since school and hung up on him.

The Sheriff had to call the station to get Lydia's mother's number as he didn't have it. He'd called her and she answered on the second ring. She was with her boyfriend but hadn't heard from Lydia either. She sounded worried but the Sheriff had assured her he'd swing by and make sure they were okay and let her know.

When he'd gone by Lydia's house nothing immediately seemed amiss. The only thing that assured him that he wasn't crazy was that Stiles's CJ Jeep was parked beside the house but the two teens were nowhere to be found. The front door was unlocked too. Something just didn't feel right.

He'd officially filed the missing persons report at 8 am the next morning when neither teen had turned up. At exactly 8:15 AM the Sheriff received a phone call demanding that Barrow be let free or Stiles and Lydia would pay the price. His heart had stopped when he had taken that phone call. The kids hadn't disappeared, they'd been taken. That made things a whole lot more dangerous.

He'd tried to keep the guy talking while he had his deputies run a trace. He tried to explain to him that Barrow was in County Lockup in solitary confinement and he couldn't get to him. There was no way that he could be released, legally or otherwise. The caller had given him until noon to make something happen. It was now approaching midnight the night after they'd disappeared and he was exhausted. He was also terrified. He wouldn't be able to sleep. Even though the caller had told him not to contact other authorities he had no other choice. He had called Senator Martin as well as Lydia's mother to let them know there daughter had been abducted with his son. He'd called Scott's estranged father who was the local FBI liaison. He couldn't risk keeping this to himself. He needed resources to find those kids.

A swift knock on his office door brought him out of his musings. "Sheriff, one of the deputies just found this package on the seat of his car when he went out for patrol. No idea who left it." Deputy Parrish, one of his youngest and most trusted deputies announced as he handed the Sheriff a small brown package not much larger than a ring box with his name scrawled across the packaging.

The Sheriff gave him an eyebrow in question before carefully pulling the wrappings off with a pen. After setting the brown paper wrapping aside carefully he popped open the container with the tip of his pen to reveal a thumb drive. He grabbed a rubber glove from his top desk drawer and hastily snapped it over his hand before taking the thumb drive and sliding it into his desktop.

He nodded to the wrapping paper "Take them to forensics and see if they can lift anything off that. Run the security footage and see if you can see when and who dropped it off. Let Agent McCall know what we have too." Parrish nodded; he looked at the computer screen like he wanted to see what it was but instead went to retrieve an evidence bag.

The files on the drive popped up. A text document and a video, he clicked on the text document first. It simply stated.

_We have Stiles and Lydia. Do you think we were kidding when we said Barrow must go free or they'd pay the price? You give me mine or you'll never see yours._

The Sheriff began sweating profusely as he shakily clicked print on the text file and moved the mouse to click on the video.

There was Stiles cuffed to a chair sitting in front of another man. Parrish had returned to the room and stood behind the Sheriff to watch the video with him. The Sheriff jumped both times the man viciously clocked Stiles. "Where were you shot?" He heard the man ask and the Sheriff was feeling the bitter coffee rising in this throat.

When the man impaled Stiles with the shiv and then painfully twisted it the Sheriff felt faint, the blood was roaring in his ears. Stiles had thrown up and thankfully gone slack as though he'd passed out. The Sheriff couldn't think, he couldn't move. His son, _his son_ was being tortured. He'd already been through so much because of Barrow and now this!

It took him a moment to realize that Parrish was talking to him. "Sir… let me take the thumb drive and run some tests on it, I'll put his face through facial recognition but he called Barrow his son. I'd bet he's his father. I can get known aliases and see if anything pops up for other known accomplices to see if we can find something. I'll have something soon."

The Sheriff just nodded mutely and let the deputy take over. He was more than capable; he'd be better off doing it than the Sheriff who couldn't even open his mouth. After a few moments of sitting and staring at the blank computer screen before him the Sheriff picked up his cell phone and dialed Melissa's number.

"Melissa McCall." She answered automatically.

"Melissa it's me." His voice was gruff and emotional.

"Have you found anything?" She asked as he heard her step away from someone at the other end.

"No. But I got… a got a video. Someone left it for me in a patrol car." He swallowed thickly as his eyes brimmed with tears.

"Is he okay?" She asked and he could hear the emotion in her voice. She was like a mom to Stiles, had cared for him right alongside of her own son for a long time. It hurt to hear her going through this.

"I need to ask you something… this guy.. This guy that has him… he ugh... he stabbed him… right where he was shot. How long… how long… can he..."

He couldn't get out what he wanted, no needed to ask her. He could hear her sniffle on the other end of the line before composing herself and returning to her professional detached voice. "Well assuming it's the exact same place he should be okay, there weren't any major blood vessels in the way. Lydia's with him. She's smart. As long as they're together I'm sure she'll know how to handle it. Can I come over and keep you some company? I'm off my shift. I just don't think you should be going through this alone right now."

He nodded before realizing she couldn't see him. "Sure, if you don't mind. That'd be great."

"Scott has been going crazy. I might just bring him along. It will keep him out of trouble. Have you told the Martins?" She asked.

"Not yet. I'll give them a call in a few. And Melissa… thanks." She shushed him before hanging up the phone. He rubbed his eyes tiredly and picked up the station phone to call Lydia' parents. He dreaded the call. He felt so helpless just sitting and waiting. He needed to be out there finding them but he had no idea where to even begin looking.

It was like trying to find a needle in a haystack only the haystack was smoldering and about to ignite into flames. They needed to hurry.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8- Lover's Quarrel

Stiles awoke sometime before dawn, the room was cast in shadow and Lydia slept pressed up against his chest. He felt achy and too warm, almost like he was coming down with the flu. He gazed about taking note of his surroundings, listening for anyone talking or anything outside. The more he could catalogue about the place or where they might be the better off they'd be.

If they were going to take any more videos of him he was going to figure out some way to send his dad a message that would help them to find them. So far that was the only thing that had come to mind on a plan to get them out of the situation. His heart fluttered in his chest as he glanced at the sleeping girl in his arms. She was so beautiful it actually hurt. He felt bad; he was with Malia, he cared about her, she was his first real girlfriend. But she wasn't his first love. His first love was here in his arms.

He'd started dating Malia mostly because she was fairly persistent that they should. She also didn't know Allison and didn't associate Stiles with anything that had happened with Barrow. They didn't have history so it was easy to forget when he was with her. She liked to party and he'd started tagging along. It was easier to forget when he was having a fifth of vodka under the stars.

It was easier to pretend with Malia than to face the sadness that he saw in Lydia, even in Scott. It was easier to pretend that he'd accepted what had happened and moved on. He'd gotten really good at hiding. He was able to hide his jumpiness at sudden movements or people approaching him suddenly from behind. He'd gotten good at covering up his wandering mind, his nightmares and lack of sleep, his lack of appetite. Thankfully the symptoms were easy to mask as exhaustion from lacrosse and school and his ADHD. His dad had taken him twice to get his prescription changed in the last three months.

Now here he was trapped in his own personal hell with the one person he truly hoped to never find out how truly bad off he was. If he had anything to say about it she was going home, hopefully unharmed. He'd sacrifice himself if that's what it meant. He wouldn't hesitate. She murmured in her sleep and snuggled in closer to him. He rested his chin on her head and let out a sigh. In another world where nothing bad had happened to Allison, where Barrow had kept on driving and they'd never know tragedy this would have been his dream come true. Now he felt terrified that this innocent girl was just waiting to be ripped from him.

The morning guard shuffled into the room clanging loudly and shoving their food through the bars. Stiles's stomach grumbled at the thought. Other than their measly offering they'd had the day before that he'd subsequently thrown up he'd had nothing to eat or drink.

"Lyds…" she moaned and stretched a little in her sleep and Stiles was struck with a sudden yearning to lean in and kiss her neck. He squashed down the thought immediately. This was neither the time nor the place. "Lyds, breakfast's here and I for one am starving." He tried to keep his voice light and cheerful.

"Okay, okay." She said and shifted away and out from under the covers. She slid forward and retrieved the two bottles of water, bruised apples and cheap granola bars from the floor and brought them back to the cot. She shivered a little at the coolness in the air and Stiles immediately motioned for her to sit back beside him and covered them both back up with the blanket.

"Sure you don't want my smelly socks yet?" He asked as he brushed an errant lock of her hair from her eye. She smiled bashfully at him and looked down at her food.

"I'm okay Stiles. How are you feeling this morning?" She asked giving him a concerned look as she opened her granola bar and daintily nibbled at it.

Stiles clumsily opened his granola bar with one hand as his shoulder throbbed painfully he'd found with even the tiniest of movement, even something as small as moving his hand had sent waves of pain up it. "I'm okay. I'll live." He said giving her a smile around the granola. To him it was the most delicious food he'd ever had. They finished up their fruit and took small sips of water in silence.

Sometime later a guard came to take Lydia to the restroom. Stiles felt near panic with her out of his sight and paced until she returned ten minutes later looking cleaner with damp hair and a small smile on her face.

The guard grabbed Stiles by his good arm and led him out next, thankfully foregoing the handcuffs this time. He doubted he would have been able to stand is arm being wrenched into them. He quickly relieved himself and then decided to strip quickly and wash in the shower after taking a look at his face in the mirror. The water was barely warm and he didn't have soap but he gingerly washed at the crusted blood off his face and where it had ran down his arm. There was only a small towel to pat dry with and then he clumsily tried to cram his still damp body back into the clothing as the guard banged the door open.

They led him roughly back to the cell and he was relieved to see Lydia sitting there waiting for him. She gave him a small smile as he returned to his seat. "You look a little cleaner." She commented. "Did you wash your shoulder?" He shook his head at her. He hadn't had time to do much and he didn't want to unwrap it. "I should probably take a peek at it. Make sure it looks okay."

He nodded and allowed her to pull his shirt down off his shoulder. She was so close to him he could feel her breath as undid the knot on the dressing. Again he felt the overwhelming urge to take her in his arms and erase any doubt she had about how he felt about her. He couldn't bring himself to look down at the wound so he looked at the door while he talked to her. "Well what's the verdict doc?"

He looked down at her and she gave him a small smile. "The bleeding has stopped but it's too early to tell. We'll have to keep an eye on it. When we get out of here they'll probably have to clean it and put you on a broad spectrum antibiotic I'd imagine."

He smiled at her as she prattled on and retied the bandage and readjusted his shirt collar. He leaned back against the wall and motioned for Lydia to sit beside him again. Time past slowly as they sat there. For a while they sat in silence, when that became too much they began to talk. They talked about Scott and Kira; they talked about Lydia and Aiden. He was oddly happy about the fact he was out of the picture. He'd always thought Lydia deserved better.

They unconsciously had entwined their hands together as they reminisced about school and where they'd like to attend college. They both were still hoping to attend Berkley after senior year. She wanted to study Chemistry and Math; he wanted to study Criminal and Forensic Science. They talked about Lacrosse and even the topic of Malia came up.

"I just don't like how she coerces you to skip classes and stuff. It seems like she doesn't care about academics that's all. You're smart Stiles. I just don't want to see you start to slip now." She admonished her cheeks rosy and her eyes bright for the first time since he could remember. He was fairly certain that she was responding to him. He had always hoped that someday they'd get the chance to be more than friends but he'd never really thought she was into him that way. But now, here, where they were alone he could see that maybe she might just reciprocate his feelings for her. Or maybe that was just blind hope.

"My grades are okay Lyds. She just… she isn't you." He finished softly as she looked up at him and licked her lips. Before he could talk himself out of it he leaned in and captured her lips in a tender kiss. She responded after a moment and brought her hands into his hair, her fingertips dancing across his scalp.

After a moment they broke apart their foreheads resting against each other. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." He said keeping his eyes closed. After a moment he heard her sniffle.

"Lyds, hey are you okay? What's wrong?" He asked leaning down and bringing a finger under her chin to make her look at him. She shook her head, keeping her eyes and bit her lip.

He was just about to ask again when Barrow walked into the room. "Awe isn't this cute, a lover's quarrel."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9- Hopeful

Stiles immediately pulled Lydia tight against him with his good arm. He swallowed thickly and didn't speak. Barrow gave them a tight lipped smile and motioned for the guard to unlock the door. "Ms. Martin, if you wouldn't mind. I'd like to have a word with you."

"No." Stiles nearly shouted and stepped up between Lydia and the door.

"Now Stiles this can either go the easy way or the hard way. I just want to talk to Miss Martin. If you make it hard for me I will make it hard for her you understand?" Barrow answered tersely.

Stiles felt a small hand on his lower back. "It's okay Stiles." She said before slipping around him before he could stop her. He took a step to follow and the guard shoved him roughly causing him to jar his sore shoulder into the wall and a moan to escape his lips. He righted himself quickly but the guard had already locked the door. Stiles staggered over to the bars his breaths quick and shallow both from the agony of his shoulder being jostled and the pain of being separated from Lydia, of being helpless to protect her.

She sat on the edge of the seat he'd occupied the night previously. There was no camera at least. Perhaps they wouldn't need to put on a show. "So Lydia, you were best friends with Allison huh?"

She nodded her head and clenched her hands tightly in her lap. Stiles held his breath as he listened to the exchange trying to determine Barrow's angle of approach.

"So tell me. Your dad, he's a senator isn't he?" Again she nodded not speaking. "Now tell me, I haven't seemed to have much luck with his" he nodded his head over to Stiles "father. Do you think your father might have more pull with getting my son out?"

Lydia's eyes sharpened at the question. "I don't honestly know. My dad has been more worried about his political career than my life for a long time. I guess it just depends on how the public sees it, whether or not he can spin it into his favor."

Stiles let out a shaky breath knowing that what Lydia had told Barrow, though truthful was not what he wanted to hear. When the man was angry he was unstable, he tried to make eye contact with Lydia and convey this meaning but she refused to meet his eyes.

"Tsk. It'd be a shame to see such a beautiful girl come to a horrible end." Barrow said as he leaned forward and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand affectionately.

"Hey, leave her alone! Don't touch her!" Stiles demanded as he clenched his hands around the bars. It had come out without a thought. Barrow looked over his shoulder at him and chuckled.

"Awe Stiles… if she means that much to you…" Barrow began as he turned back around and slapped Lydia across the face causing her head to snap to the side.

She didn't let out a sound but Stiles saw red. "You son of a bitch! How dare you! Why don't you take on someone who can fight back huh? I swear to God…"

Barrow was over to the bars in two quick strides and grabbed Stiles by his shirt and slammed him forward into the bars. "You'll do what Stiles? Talk me to death? You should be very careful with how you speak to me. I have the power to end you." Stiles struggled against the man's grip pushing with both of his arms even if it hurt. "Even better I could kill her and make you watch. Make you hold her while she bleeds out. It'd be like Allison all over again wouldn't it?"

Stiles didn't think he just spit right in the man's face. The man slammed him viciously into the bars causing his face to ache even more than it had. Stiles saw black spots as Barrow released him. He staggered back and leaned against the wall as he tried to regain his balance and vision. He heard the door open and Lydia was pushed back in. He immediately stepped forward and cupped her face gingerly in his hands, he gently turning her face to examine the red mark smarting on her cheek.

"Are you okay?" He asked her. She didn't say anything. "Lyds. Babe talk to me, are you okay?" He led her back to the cot and pulled the blanket over her shoulders and then leaned down on the floor between her legs. "Hey look at me." She finally responded and he nearly wept when her green eyes met his. He took both of her hands in his and rubbed them with the pads of his thumbs. "Are you okay?" His voice gruff as the unbidden tears started to make their way down his cheeks. She nodded at him and bit her lip.

"I'm okay Stiles." He let out a shaky breath and bowed his head to collect himself. He definitely was not okay. "Stiles?" He looked up at her with a hopeful look in his eye.

"Yea?"

"Your shoulder, it's bleeding again." He glanced down to see a trickle of blood running down his arm. It throbbed painfully but it was tiny in comparison to the pain and terror he'd felt watching Barrow rough Lydia up.

"It's fine." He dismissed and moved to sit next to Lydia throwing his good arm around her shoulder and pulling her to him.

"It's not fine. You shouldn't have gone at him like that. I was okay. You are just going to make things worse for us." She admonished him softly. She sounded tired like all she wanted to do was sleep. He pulled her head down to rest on his lap and softly stroked her soft strands of hair.

"I know. I just couldn't help it. Lydia I've never been so scared in my life."

"Not even with Allison?" Lydia asked.

He sucked in an involuntary breath and stilled his hand for a moment. "Not even then. With Allison… it happened so fast… we were standing there talking and the next moment I'm shot and just trying to get over the counter and then before I know it Allison is bleeding and there were gunshots and I just thought… I thought I was dead."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

"Shh… It's okay Lydia. Why don't you try and rest some?"

"But I'm not tired." She responded just as she yawned.

"Yes you are. C'mon try and rest and I'll keep watch."

He resumed combing her hair through his fingers as she succumbed to the exhaustion that had been consuming her.

He watched her sleep on his lap. She looked peaceful and young. He swallowed back the bile that rose just thinking about Barrow putting his hands on her. He'd rather get stabbed again than to let anything happen to her.

He wondered what had happened back home. From what Barrow said it was obvious the Sheriff just hadn't rolled over and let Barrow out. And him talking to Lydia trying to find another approach means that the video hadn't granted his son release either.

He put himself in his father's shoes and thought about what they were likely doing. Checking surveillance of where the video had been found or tracing the email it came from, putting the video through facial recognition software, sending it to the computer forensics lab to see if they can identify any locations in the video. By now his father knew that Barrow's father was behind this so he'd be running him and anyone that was known accomplices and contacting them and bringing them in for questioning. He just hoped that somewhere Barrow had made a mistake. Left a fingerprint, a location, a face on a camera that shouldn't that could lead law enforcement to them. They would just need to bide their time. Lydia was right. Provoking Barrow was not the thing to do.

He stopped stroking Lydia's hair as he made to adjust his shirt behind his back. Something was poking him and as he ran his fingers along the edge of the wall behind the cot he found something he'd nearly forgotten about, the spike that Lydia had pulled from his shoulder. The tiny spike gave him a small amount of hope. As small and insignificant as it was it was still something they could use as a weapon. It was no match against knives or guns or even brute strength but it was still something. He prayed they wouldn't have to use it, but at least it was there.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10- Scott

Scott paced back in forth across the small hallway in front of the Sheriff's office. His mother had picked him up from home after her shift and brought him with her to sit with the Sheriff. They hadn't told him much but between what they'd told him and what he'd been able to overhear was that Barrow's father was behind Lydia and Stiles's disappearance. He was hoping by taking them to somehow get his son freed. He also overheard the Sheriff and Melissa talking, the Sheriff close to tears, about a video they'd sent.

His mother had shooed him out of the office so that she could watch it just to reassure the Sheriff that whatever had happened to Stiles that he would be okay. Scott just couldn't shake the constant nauseous feeling that kept creeping up on him. Two of his best friends were missing, taken, and who knows what Barrow was doing to them. Two people who'd already gone through hell because of Barrow's son. Allison… just the thought of her had him spiraling all over again. If she could see what was happening to her friends now she'd be pissed.

Through his near paralyzing fear over losing his friends he felt a fraction of a bit of relief knowing that at least the two had each other. Both of them were smart, scarily so. They could have conversations where he didn't even know what they were talking about. If anyone could think themselves out of a situation or spot a way to escape it would be the two of them.

His mother reemerged from the Sheriff's office dabbing her eyes with the back of her hand and swiping the end of her nose with a tissue. "Mom?" He asked, his voice sounding young and scared.

She patted him softly on the cheek giving him a grief filled smile. "It's okay, they're okay. It just wasn't easy to watch that's all." She put her arm around him and led him back into the office. The Sheriff was on the phone talking to someone excitedly and they stopped to listen.

"I'll be right there." He said and slammed the phone back into the receiver.

Scott and his mom looked expectantly at the Sheriff as they waited for some sort of answer as he stuffed his arms back into his uniform jacket. "They found one of Barrow's known hired hands. They've got him in interrogation. They won't let me in because it will compromise the investigation but I'm going to go watch from the observation room." He paused on his way out the door as he contemplated the two of them.

"Go home and get some rest. I'll call you if I find out anything. I promise." The Sheriff said as his mom led him to the door. The Sheriff put his arm on his mom's and gave it a squeeze. "Thank you both so much for being here. It means a lot." 

"Don't mention it. I'll bring you some food. Please keep me posted. I doubt any of us will be able to relax until we get them home." His mom said as she led them out to the car.

He didn't want to get his hopes up but he really couldn't help it. Any lead or witness at this point was a potential map to finding Stiles and Lydia. He hoped this guy would give the Sheriff the answers he needed.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11- Back in Hell

Stiles felt stiff and achy by morning. He'd sat all night and held Lydia's small frame as she slept and, as he'd promised, he'd stayed up all night and kept watch. No one had brought them food or water, no one had come in, it was quiet, almost too quiet.

He was ready to write off the achiness and general malaise from sitting in one awkward position for too long and from his lack of food, but he knew that wasn't the only likely culprit. His arm throbbed and felt warm, the bleeding had subsided again but he could definitely feel swelling. He also felt sweaty and slightly feverish. None of his symptoms pointed to anything good.

When Lydia woke up she sat up and stretched. He could see a small soft purple bruise had formed on her cheek and he brushed his hand on her chin and frowned. She removed his hand giving it an affectionate squeeze. She looked around to note the sky outside of the window. "Did you stay awake all night?" She admonished, her lips pressed into a thin line of worry.

"Um…no?" He replied back sensing that was the answer she wanted to hear.

She gave him a small smile. "Liar." She stopped and looked at him more closely, her green eyes flicking him over. Stiles recoiled slightly as she brought a hand to his forehead. "Sorry I forgot sudden movements kind of freak you out." She said as she pushed the flesh of her wrist to his forehead and giving a soft hmm.

"Fr-Freak me out?" He tried to play ignorant but with the look on her face he knew she'd already figured it out. "It's okay. I'm working on it… I just am still a little jumpy about sudden movements, especially someone coming up from behind me."

She nodded understandingly, "PTSD. It's understandable. Have you tried talking to a therapist about it?"

He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "No."

"You haven't told anyone have you?" Lydia's green eyes pierced him with a fierce gaze.

"Well you are the first one to figure it out." He gave her a self-depreciating smile.

"I'd have figured it out sooner if I had actually seen you." Stiles could hear the bitterness in her tone.

"Lyds I'm sorry. I really am. Listen, can we, you know talk about what happened earlier? You know… before Barrow came in."

"You have a fever Stiles. I think I should take a look at your arm." She said in effort to deflect, "but feel free to talk." She got to her knees beside him and gave him a small look before moving to pull his shirt down and undo the crusty bandages.

"I'm fine Lyds. So listen…about earlier… I kissed you. Jesus…I want you Lydia. But then you start crying and I just… I keep getting mixed signals… and I know we are in a really shitty situation right now but…"

Lydia gasped and he thought she was responding to his words but a quick glance showed him she was looking at his shoulder and the red streaks that had started appearing around his shoulder. "Stiles.." she said bringing a hand to her mouth.

He pulled her to him with his good arm. "Shh… it's alright Lydia. We knew that was probably going to happen. I've got a while before it gets serious, at least a few days. We'll be out of here by then. You'll see." He tried to soothe her and for a few moments she let him. Then she abruptly pulled out of his gasp.

"I am not giving you mixed signals." Lydia said in response to his earlier words. He chuckled as he realized it had finally dawned on her what he'd said.

"Yes you are. I pretty much came right out and told you why I'd been dating Malia, that I wanted you. I kissed you and you kissed me back but then you started crying…" Stiles leaned his head back against the cold concrete wall.

"I'm just trying to keep myself from getting hurt Stiles." The comment made him whip his head up which made him dizzy. When he blinked a few times and shook the dizziness away he looked at her.

She was chewing her lips nervously, picking at the hem of her hoodie. "I wouldn't hurt you Lydia." His voice cracked with emotion.

"Not intentionally but you have Stiles… you have hurt me." When he looked at her questioningly…"I know why you've distanced yourself from me and from Scott, it was out of some misguided notion that you were protecting us but it hurt me Stiles. You shut me out. Then when I saw you with her when you were supposed to go to dinner with me for my birthday I felt gutted… like you could be with her… you wanted her and not me." She brought her hand to her mouth like she'd slipped and the words had poured out of her of their own volition.

"Birthday…" and his whole world stopped as he realized what he'd done. "Oh my God! I forgot your birthday. Babe I am so sorry. I fucked up so bad."

They were both crying the tension and their emotions boiling over. "I went driving just to get out of the house and I saw you leaving her." She whispered before turning from him.

"I can't… I can't apologize to you enough for that. There was no excuse." Stiles said climbing off the cot and leaning on his knees in front of her. He put his fingers under her chin and turned her to look at him. "I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you. I haven't been in a good place for a long time and I am not proud to admit it but I've been drinking and doing other things… just to deal. I'm such an asshole for doing that to you and I completely understand why you don't trust me. I'll do anything to regain your trust Lyds… please just give me another chance."

He was close to losing it entirely. He could feel the edges of the anxiety attack creeping up on him, his breathing quickly becoming faster and uneven, and his already fatigued state making him lose his coordination and strength, he fell back off his knees to his butt in an unglamorous heap.

He could hear his breathing and knew he was breathing too fast but couldn't get himself to slow down. He needed air but no matter how much he breathed in he felt like he was suffocating.

"Stiles, Stiles!" Lydia spoke and Stiles was shocked to find she had crawled to the floor with him. "Look at me; you're having a panic attack. Breathe with me." She said taking his good hand and placing it over her chest. "C'mon, slowly in and out."

"I… I… can't." He was panicking and she could see it. She cupped his cheek and leaned in and kissed him full on the lips. For a moment he was too frazzled to respond but after a moment he kissed her back fervently. After a few moments he realized the panic attack had subsided. "How did you do that?" He asked her.

"I kissed you and you held your breathe." She said swiping away his tears before dabbing her own.

"You're really smart." He complimented her.

"C'mon let's get you off the floor it's freezing down here." She said giving him a hand up back to the cot. "You should get some sleep now babe. It's my turn to keep watch. You look exhausted."

He nodded even though he didn't want to give in. She sat behind him cradling him in her arms; he looped his arm around hers. "I really am sorry Lydia, there isn't an excuse. I hope one day you can trust me not to hurt you again."

He was slowly slipping into an unconscious state when he heard her say, "You can't promise me that until you stop punishing yourself Stiles. Allison wasn't your fault. I love you and I'm not giving up on you but you need to fix you first."

"Love you too." He whispered before losing his battle to stay awake.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12- Things Can Always Get Worse

Things weren't looking great. Stiles felt too warm and feverish in her arms; she rubbed her hands up and down his good arm and side when she'd feel him start to shiver in his sleep. Even with her body heat and the blanket wrapped around him he still couldn't seem to get warm. At least he was sleeping; he'd looked like hell earlier.

Lydia wished she felt some kind of relief of having finally come clean about him missing her birthday but instead she just felt, grief or panic or some combination of the two. When Stiles had collapsed on the floor she nearly lost it too. All they had were each other at the moment, he'd been putting on a stoic front for her sake and the crack in his façade had her more than a little worried.

She sat there her mind working overtime calculating all she could remember about septicemia. How long did he have before the infection ravished him too much? How long before Barrow came back? Would they find them before things could get worse? She scoffed at herself. Things could always get worse. Her mind went into a morbid overdrive imagining Barrow ripping Stiles from her, holding the freckled pale boy in his arms while he died.

For the first time she imagined what it must have been like for Stiles to have had that happen with Allison. She knew if anything like that happened to her, if she were forced to cradle someone she loved as they died she'd probably never recover from it. No wonder he was having trouble dealing and had sought his peace from chemicals and booze, something that was normally out of character for him. Thinking about how traumatic that must have been she couldn't say she really blamed him.

She couldn't even blame him for Malia. He was trying to move on any way he knew how. A few short hours ago she had been angry and hurt, now she wanted to wake him up and tell him she forgave him and kiss him again. Life just seemed too tenuous and fragile at the moment and she was worried she wouldn't get the chance. She tried to think of something else other than losing him, anything to keep her from losing it altogether.

What would the Sheriff and the FBI being doing at home? Had they caught any leads? Would they come barreling through the door soon? Her stomach rumbled and it caused Stiles to squirm in his sleep. All they had left was a half a bottle of water. She desperately needed to use the restroom but no one had come in quite some time. And of course her hyperactive brain went off on that tangent next. What if they just left them here to starve? To die of thirst? When was the last time she'd heard a guard? She started to panic when she couldn't remember.

"Lyds… are you okay?" Stiles's half lidded eyes looked up at her. "You're shaking." He'd noted as he sat up and turned to look at her.

"When was the last time you heard anyone?" She asked him in what she hoped was a nonchalant voice.

"When they changed shifts this morning. Why?" He asked as he yawned, his good arm grabbing the wrist of his bad arm to gently move it. She caught the wince he tried to hide.

"Oh." She let out a shaky breathe in relief. When he eyed her funny she responded. "Just my brain overthinking again. I was worried they'd left us. They haven't given us anything to drink or eat in a while so I got thinking…"

"What if they just left us here to rot?" He asked no hint of a smile on his face.

She nodded a bit shocked by his brutal honesty. He didn't say anything for a moment.

"How are you feeling?" She asked him nervously.

"I'm okay Lyds." He reached down and retrieved the remaining water and offered her a drink. She took a small sip of the tepid water before returning it to Stiles who also took a sip before recapping it and replacing it.

He looked warily to see if anyone was close by before leaning in. "I found the spike you pulled out of me. It isn't much but maybe we could use it somehow."

Her heart raced at his words. She had completely forgotten she'd hidden it along the rail of the cot. She stood and went over to the cell door and tried to discretely get a look at the lock. She was hoping it was old and archaic, one they could break through with sheer force, but it looked like the lock was new.

She doubted they'd be able to shove the spike through. "I thought of that but I don't think it will work. I might be able to pick it if I had the right tools but I don't think that will jam it open. I thought maybe as a weapon or something?" Stiles said as he fidgeted on the edge of the cot.

The spike wasn't that large. Though she supposed if you stabbed someone in the right spot… say the eye it could be effective. Of course it would have to be done at the opportune time. Like an unsuspecting guard taking her to the bathroom. That way she'd have the keys and a gun. They'd have to save it for an opportune moment.

As if reading their minds Barrow barged in the room. Lydia immediately took a step back from the man. He seemed unkempt; his clothes looked dirty and stained, rumpled from long wear. His hair looked greasy and he had a deranged look about him that made her quiver with fear.

She backed up until she bumped into Stiles who protectively put his arm around her and guided her behind him. "Awe so sweet," the man nearly spat and Lydia recoiled at the fury she could hear in just those three little words.

Barrow nodded to the guard who came in behind him to unlock the door. "Bring me the boy." He said as he stood with his hands clasped behind his back as if he were hiding something. Lydia grabbed onto Stiles as if he were a life boat and she was drowning.

The guard dragged Stiles roughly forward by pinching the back of his neck. When he noticed Lydia hanging on the guard sent out a swift kick to her shin knocking her back the immediate sharp pain making her release Stiles.

"Lydia are you okay?" Stiles asked her as the guard relocked the door before pushing him into the chair.

She nodded at him with tears in her eyes. "Fine." She said as she bent to rub the lump forming on her shin. How could he worry about her when he was with Barrow again? Barrow seemed to take a particular pleasure when hurting Stiles.

There were no cameras in the room this time so they weren't planning on sending a video. She prayed with every ounce of her that he just was hoping to torment them or psych them out. She didn't think Stiles could take much more abuse. She didn't think she could stand to watch it.

"So far I haven't heard a damn word from anyone since your father first denied me. I did hear your father particularly liked the video we sent him though."

She watched helplessly through the bars as Stiles bit the inside of his cheek. She knew he was furious and longed to lash out verbally at the man but she knew he was trying to restrain himself.

"If I can't have my boy back I don't think the Sheriff should have his back either." Barrow said standing unsteadily on his feet pulling an extendable baton from behind his back.

Lydia fought the urge to scream. He really meant to kill him!

"How's the old shoulder huh?" Barrow asked before grabbing it roughly causing Stiles to cry out. He flailed his limbs and one must have connected causing Barrow to release his hold and cuff the boy in the ear.

"You little bastard! How do you like it being holed up in that cell? My boy's in a cell and it's entirely your fault." The man accentuated each word by hitting Stiles, first in the stomach than in the face then below the belt. Stiles coughed and spit blood but he didn't cry out. She wondered how he'd kept quiet.

She couldn't even wipe the tears from her face. She feared if she let go of the bars she'd collapse right there. The man continued to hurl insults at Stiles hoping to cause some sort of reaction but Stiles kept silent. When Barrow realized that wouldn't work he took another tactic.

"Lydia sure is pretty. Don't you agree?" She could see Stiles glare at the man. "I'd like to have my way with her… right here on this table. I'm sure she'd feel exquisite."

Without warning Stiles launched from the chair at the man. The man had been anticipating his move however and swung the baton cracking Stiles right across his torso. Lydia strangled a gasp; she could have sworn she'd heard something snap, a rib perhaps.

Stiles's motion was stopped instantly causing him to fall down on his hands and knees. He coughed and grabbed his side with his good arm. Barrow took the opportunity to kick him viciously again sending Stiles rolling. When Stiles's back was arched in order to try and protect the front of his body Barrow swung the baton against his back over and over again making a sickening thump sound with each hit.

"Please stop." She heard Stiles finally cry out. But the sick man kept going. Lydia couldn't even see any more through her veil of tears. But she could hear it. She could hear it when his pleas turned to sobs. And she could hear it when he stopped altogether.

She sank to the floor by the bars sobbing uncontrollably. She feared he was dead. So help her God if he was she would kill every last one of them.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13- Wired

The Sheriff hadn't slept but he was far from tired, in fact he felt wired. He'd paced the viewing room next to the interrogation room for the past two hours as he watched Agent McCall question the man opposite him. He slugged back tepid coffee that the deputies produced at a steady pace. His skin felt like it was ready to crawl off him and his hands shook as if they needed to be doing something.

The thick burly man they'd apprehended had a known relationship with both Barrow Sr. and Jr. Coupled with his known history with the suspects and a positive identification from Parrish that the man was the one they had discovered on the station's security footage leaving the video and the Sheriff couldn't stop an overwhelming feeling that finding the kids was hinged upon whether or not McCall could get the man to talk. The man was silent for the first hour, just sat there with a knowing smile his muscles bulging out from under his long sleeved jacket, his burly head sitting atop a thick neck as if he didn't have a care in the world. The Sheriff itched to go in and have a few words with the man. Oh who was he kidding? He wanted to go in there and beat the man to an inch of his life and find out where they were holding those kids.

Any time he stopped pacing and imagining bodily harm to the man his mind would drift back to that video. To Stiles's screams that he couldn't hold back, to Lydia's sobbing in the background, to the blood streaking his son's clothes as he slumped into unconsciousness. He knew that even when they got those kids back that they'd be far from okay. His mind had settled on when, not if… when they got them back. His stomach churned at how much they'd already been put through and what might be happening to them at that very moment while he sat there useless. It wasn't fair at all. He was actually glad his wife wasn't alive to see what her son was going through. It would kill her all over again.

His idle mind wandered down memory lane. Of Stiles when he was born, of him as a spastic boy, of him growing up, befriending Scott, watching his mother fall ill, how torn the boy was when Claudia finally succumbed to her illness. How slowly he saw him come back a little at time. He remembered Stiles coming home giddy when Lydia had finally talked to him, the time he took her to the Winter Formal when Jackson had stood her up. He was a good boy, his happiness often a result from helping others, putting his friends' welfare ahead of his own.

His mind wandered back to the most recent tragedy his son had survived. He remembered receiving the call about the shots fired at the convenience store. How his world faltered and then nearly stopped as he arrived on the scene to see his son cradling Allison's bloody still frame, to see him slowly lose consciousness from the gunshot wound. That had been more than three months ago and yet it still seemed fresh in his mind. He hadn't missed how Stiles had slipped a smile on his face when asked how he was coping, how the smile would fall the moment he looked away. He noticed how tired his son was and heard his cries at night. His heart broke every time. He was supposed to protect Stiles and he felt like he was failing him at every possible turn. Life just seemed to keep knocking them back.

He couldn't help but think they were running out of time. The kids had been taken more than forty eight hours ago. Statistically speaking their odds were dropping by the minute at this point. He had even contemplated letting Barrow Jr go and sending some deputies to apprehend him again once they'd located the kids. But he couldn't be sure that Barrow wouldn't kill the kids if he even suspected his son was being tailed and that wasn't a chance he was desperate enough to take. Not to mention the FBI had been adamant that releasing Barrow was not going to be an option, they absolutely did not negotiate with terrorists.

Agent McCall was very persuasive though. And as the federal agent in charge of the investigation he had power to do things others didn't. Like threaten to prosecute the man should any harm come to the children to the full extent of the law, which included life without parole. Deputies even turned the other way when McCall _accidentally_ spilled his hot coffee on the man, or ratcheted the cuffs tighter instead of loosening them as promised causing the man to cry out.

The man had started to squirm uncomfortable in his chair as McCall sat opposite him in a nonchalant manner thumbing through a file. Finally the man spoke of his own volition and the Sheriff leaned in, his face almost pressed against the two way glass. "If I give you an idea where they might have them I get immunity." The man gave McCall a pleading look.

McCall leaned back and ran a hand through his hair as if he was actually contemplating it for a moment. "No."

The Sheriff had half a mind to run into that room and throttle McCall along with the guy… Lindser was his name… Michael Lindser he reads from the file splayed out on the table. The Sheriff tries his best to restrain himself as he waits with bated breath praying McCall knew what he was doing.

Finally McCall spoke again. "How about I leave your name out of the report when we apprehend them, we'll consider this tip an anonymous one? You and I both know Barrow has a lot of connections and if he finds out who rolled on him your as good as dead."

The man blanches as what McCall has told him registers. The Sheriff sees the truth of it sink in and the man sag in defeat. "I don't know exactly where they are, I met one of the others in town they had to be close by."

"What town?" Agent McCall says leaning forward in interest hands already pulling out his phone to dispatch.

"I met him in Barstow… he couldn't have driven more than a half hour from there."

Already McCall is relaying the information to dispatch over the phone. "Is there anything else you can give me? Do you know a phone number or a car make or model…anything else?"

The man ponders for a minute before saying. "I want probation."

McCall doesn't flinch, "I'll take it under consideration. If you give me something good maybe I can work that it in my report."

The man swallows and lets his head fall forward against the metal table. "I overheard him mention something about holding them in a cell… where no one could hear them. I don't have a number I had a burner cell I destroyed after I called him to tell him the package was delivered."

McCall relayed the new information and exited the interrogation room where the Sheriff met up with him. They nodded at each other and headed to the command center that had been set up in the conference room. Parrish who had already heard the news was pulling up Barstow on the map and had started filtering any building that might have cells, junkyards in remote locations within a 50 mile radius.

The Sheriff's heart plummeted as he saw red dots light up the screen with possibilities. How were they going to narrow it down? Were they going to get to them in time?

"Just hang on Stiles. I'll be there soon." He sat down at one of the laptops determined to be of some use. At least he felt he was doing something more useful researching possibilities. His hands had to do something, he had to be doing something.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14- Centuries

It had been two days since Barrow had completely lost it with Stiles. She had thought for sure that the vicious blows Barrow had landed on Stiles's weakened body were enough to kill him. Of course she should have known that he was stronger than she gave him credit for.

The guards had deposited his unconscious frame a few hours after Barrow's departure. For the first day she sat anxiously with her hand over his chest feeling for the steady thump of his heart and the rise and fall of his chest. She had been afraid to even move from her position in case his conditioned worsened. She hadn't slept; her nerves were frayed past functioning, her entire sanity clung to whether or not this boy… this man was able to survive.

After the first day he began moving once in a while moaning nondescriptly, his face usually grimaced in pain. She tried to rouse him just to see how he was but he wouldn't wake. She supposed she should be thankful that he was out. His body was an impressive array of purples and blues. He shook with fever and his body was covered in fine sheen of sweat.

She'd examined him in the morning light the day after his brutal assault and nearly vomited anything that was left in her stomach. His shoulder wound was starting to smell and was turning black. The wounds over his body were numerous and she wondered how he was still here, still surviving at all. She figured being unconscious was his body's way of conserving energy, of surviving any way it knew how.

The guards had given her crackers and water a while ago. She nibbled some of the crackers to keep her strength and used some of the water to wash Stiles's face. It had been exactly 52 hours she'd been without the boy when he finally came to. And they'd past like centuries.

"Stiles?" She asked moving to lean closer to his face as she saw his head move. His eyes fluttered awake and closed against the harshness of the light. "Oh my God Stiles! How are you feeling?"

She had to bite her tongue to stop herself from barraging him with a ton of questions. She shoved the questions aside and waited holding on to Stiles's hand and squeezing it softly to provide comfort.

"Th-thirsty." He said his voice cracking and gruff from disuse.

She grabbed the bottle of water that lay beside her on the cot and leaned in tipping the water carefully onto his chapped lips so that he wouldn't have to move much. He grunted and took a few small swallows before laying his head back down on the cot as if it weighed too much to hold up any longer.

"How long?" He asked as he glanced around before bringing his whiskey eyes to Lydia and pinning her with his stare.

"Two. Two days." Lydia answered as she hastily swiped her falling tears.

Stiles closed his eyes and tried taking a deep breath at the news but ended up gasping in pain as some injury made itself known. "Hey, take it easy okay." She brought their clasped hands to her mouth and gave his knuckles a tender kiss.

"Anything happen while I was out?" He asked sounding a little stronger.

"Nothing much. They brought us some crackers and some water. Are you hungry?" She asked leaning carefully closer to him.

He shook his head, "Ugh, no. I'm nauseous, they'd just come back up. You should eat them Lyds. You need your strength."

She rolled her eyes at him. "You do too."

The look he gave her sent chills down her spine. He didn't need to use his voice to tell her it was possible he wouldn't need it. "Stiles you do too. I won't hear of this nonsense about you not being here. You promised me remember?" Her voice was growing higher pitched and more hysterical as she went.

He took his hand from hers and caressed her cheek swiping what tears he could get with the pad of his thumb. "Shhh. It'll be okay." He whispered to her which only made her sob harder.

She glanced hastily behind her to make sure they didn't have any company. "If they take me to the bathroom again I'm going to take the spike." She whispered conspiratorially to him. Stiles's eyes grew large and he tried to sit up but only could get half way before falling back and hissing in pain. "Stiles! What are you doing? You need to stay still I don't know what all you have broken in there!"

"Lyds." He said panting a little, "You can't say something like that an expect me not to try and climb off this cot and hold you down any way I can."

She was a little put off. Sure she wasn't known for her kick ass fighting skills like Allison had been but she knew enough. "We don't have a choice Stiles we need to get out of here and soon!"

He shook his head in disagreement as he continued to breathe through some of the pain. "Please don't Lyds. If something happened to you… Jesus… I'd better rot in here if something happens to you." He swallowed thickly, his Adam's apple bobbing thickly as the tears started to glisten in his eyes.

"I'd feel the same way about you. You know?" She said as she recaptured his hand in hers and intertwined their fingers. "I thought you were dead before…you stopped making any noise and for two hours I just sat here wondering if you were even alive. I can't imagine what I would do if you weren't. I love you Stiles… losing you would end me." She wanted to say more but she couldn't continue.

"God I think I waited most of my life to hear you say that. Next time I want you to say it when we aren't in a life or death situation k?" He gave her his lopsided grin in an effort to try and cheer her up. When she gave him a small smile he grew serious, "You're beautiful… you know that? And I really do love you Lydia Martin."

She smiled earnestly at his words and a few more tears slipped from behind her closed lids, this time they were tears of joy. They were brought out of their conversation when they heard the jingling of keys. Stiles eyes locked with Lydia's as they waited with bated breath to find out who was coming. Lydia lunged forward and grabbed the small spike from its hiding spot and slipped it into her hoodie pocket. Stiles looked like he wanted to say something but the guard was already approaching the door. Instead his look spoke volumes about how much he didn't want her to do what she was planning.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15- Hope

The Sheriff had to beg McCall to let him join a team doing sweeps in the Barstow area. He'd had to promise not to do anything rash and that he wasn't there in any official capacity. It'd taken them three hours by caravan to reach the Barstow area. The FBI in the area had already begun canvasing some of the spots they had flagged as potential locations while they had made the drive down.

The car ride had been one of the longest of his life. He'd fidgeted and squirmed the entire trip. He was thankful that the convoy was going well over the speed limit otherwise he wouldn't have been able to stand it. His deputy, Parrish, had accompanied him and the other members of the local FBI team and he was thankful for his calming presence.

Parrish had urged him to sleep on the ride but when he realized that wasn't going to happen Parrish had handed him a protein bar and a bottle of water from his bag giving him a stern look. It had reminded the Sheriff of Stiles who did the same when he was pushing himself too far. So he sat there swigging small sips of water and nibbling on the cardboard tasting bar. He laughed to himself. Stiles was always trying to push the protein bars on him. He was always a stickler to try and get him to eat healthy.

After his mild heart attack Stiles had gone through their kitchen and cleaned it out. No more red meats, no more fatty foods, nothing good in his opinion. Instead Stiles had taken it upon himself to go to the grocery store and stock up on leafy greens, whole grains, and a variety of un-tastey things. The Sheriff smiled to himself at the memory. When he got Stiles back he'd have to thank him for sacrificing so much for him. What kid would voluntarily give up Doritos and Oreos for carrot sticks? He was a particularly selfless kid. He hoped that he wouldn't do anything rash or stupid to protect Lydia but he knew that wasn't his son. He'd do anything to protect his friends. It made the panic in his heart grow at how much he knew Stiles would give up for them. He also knew that if anything happened to Lydia Stiles wouldn't recover from it. He was having a hard enough time with Allison. He knew that Stiles wouldn't survive another loss of that magnitude. Both of those kids needed to survive this. He knew Lydia was equally vulnerable; Allison's loss had decimated her for a while. He'd seen the way she'd clung to Stiles while he was still unconscious from surgery. He had no doubt it would obliterate her too if something happened to Stiles.

When they finally arrived at the center of operations that was set up at the Barstow Fire Department the Sheriff thought he'd scream. So far the teams that had been canvasing the area had cleared three of their flagged locations. There were a dozen or so more in the zone to clear. McCall was speaking with the Fire Chief, getting a locals opinion on any place else they might have missed that fit the bill.

"I'd bet money it's probably the old Richter place. They had a holding tank up there for years, used to keep some of the border jumpers there bout seventy or eighty years ago. Richter's bought it about twenty years back trying to make a go of it in the salvage business but got shut down for environmental citations. Far as I know it's been on the county tax roll and vacant for ten years or more… but it sounds like what you described."

The Sheriff could have hugged McCall for having the forethought of involving a local fireman. They tended to know the ins and outs of the place in a way that satellite images and databases didn't. McCall caught his eye and nodded.

"Would you be willing to ride up there with us? I'll have you remain in the vehicle while we search the premises but it would make it a whole lot quicker to have you show us the way." McCall addressed the burly man.

The man nodded. "I'd be happy to sir."

They all made their way to the still running vehicle and climbed in. McCall nodded to the other team members that were climbing in the vehicle behind them. They screeched out of the parking lot and headed South out of town following the fireman's directions. The Sheriff's hands were shaking with nervous energy and he tried to still them in his lap.

Please let this be the right place. Please let me find him. Please let them be okay. That was his mantra the entire time


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16- Desperate Acts

_Note: This chapter depicts a little bit of graphic violence. Reader beware and proceed with your own discretion._

Stiles kept ahold of her hand until their fingertips trailed against each other before she slipped from his grasp altogether. He'd leaned up on the frame of the cot to watch her escorted out by the guard and she gave him a small smile. He looked terrible lying on that cot; it reassured her that she was doing the right thing. That she _had to_ do this. She tried to push the haunted look from his eyes like he might never see her again, like she was a walking dead girl. She could do this.

Any longer and she wasn't sure Stiles would survive, or if even she would make it home. Barrow was growing more desperate and desperate people did unthinkable things. He'd already had a vendetta against Stiles and his comments had chilled her to the bone. No. She couldn't take the chance of losing him.

She fingered the spike in her pocket and tried to act natural as the guard led her to the bathroom. The guard wasn't big; he stood maybe six inches over her and had a thin wiry build. She eyed his gun sticking out of his pants and the keys clipped on his belt loop. She didn't look at his face; the less she personalized him the easier it would be. She tried to remain as non-threatening as possible as he shoved her in the bathroom. "Ten minutes," he barked at her.

She nodded and then proceeded to use the toilet like nothing was going on knowing the man was standing guard just outside the door, she didn't want him to suspect anything was amiss. Inside her heart was hammering against her chest, her palms were sweaty, she feared she'd drop the spike. After relieving herself she moved over and turned on the shower and washed her face and hands in the stream of warm water. Once again they were stained a pale shade of crimson with Stiles's old blood.

Once she felt slightly cleaner she grasped the spike repeatedly in her hands and tried to figure out the best way to hold it while she let the shower run. She should have asked Stiles which way would have been best, he would have known. She decided that she'd grasp it in a fist with the end protruding from her palm much like a knife. The thing was deceivingly hard to grasp, especially with the trembling of her small hands. She thought about where she would have to hit the guard. Either of his eyes would kill the man almost immediately but they were a small target. Chances of her missing or him blocking her blow were greater.

His throat would be a good option, he'd bleed out quickly, but again could she hit the right spot? It felt like the minutes were slipping by like sand slipping through her fingers. She couldn't wait. This could be the last time the guards let her out to the bathroom, she had to do it now. She wished she was good at pick pocketing. She might have been able to bump into him and just steel his keys without him knowing.

She thought she might very well be sick. The thought of taking another life was terrifying and gut wrenching. But then she thought back to the beatings that these men had stood by and watched. She thought of them entering her home and taking them, holding them like prisoners. She thought of these men helping to try and get Barrow, JR free after what he'd done to Allison.

She thought of poor Stiles beaten to a pulp, his body raging with infection as he sat probably panicking back in the cell. She needed to get them out of here. Even if help could arise what was to say that a shootout didn't happen when they came in here with guns blazing.

She stood before the mirror and eyed the dark circles under her red eyes, the sunken appearance of her face and the sick pallor of her skin. They had been missing for mere days but she looked ravaged. Who knew you could age years over night?

She took a deep breath to try and calm her nerves, she slipped her hand into her hoodie pocket and gripped the spike like a lifeline, and it was in a way. She strode to the door, her bare feet making her nearly silent; the patter of the water hitting the tile in the shower masked what little noise she did make. She stood to the side of the door where he wouldn't be able to see her silhouette. She figured she'd surprise him when he entered the room still expecting her to be in the shower, surprise was the only way she'd get a jump on him.

She wasn't sure if it was seconds of hours, it felt painfully long and exceptionally quick at the same time. The door opened and then the man stepped inside. He'd started to call out to her that her time was up but the only word he'd managed was, "Time…" he let out a startled gasp as Lydia stepped from the wall where she stood and not from the shower where his hungry eyes had expected.

She stabbed him under his chin right through his trachea and throat. His eyes bulged in surprise as he made to grasp the spike and remove it. The blood was pouring both from the wound and his mouth and his eyes began to roll back into his head as he sunk to his knees, a sickening gurgling coming from the wound as he tried to breathe. He made a grab for his gun and Lydia kicked out with her foot hitting the man square in the face. He fell back into a pool of blood his body making a sickening thud. Some odd part of her brain that didn't process what she'd done noted that they got the sound of bodies falling in the movies wrong. They made more of a sickening thud than she thought. The man choked on the blood while he was unconscious for a moment before his chest quit moving.

Adrenaline had been in her favor and given her the strength but that was starting to ebb and she felt weak and shaky. She leaned to the side and dry heaved only coming up with a mouthful of bile. She wiped her mouth and stood on shaky legs as she moved over the body. She had to try three times with her shaking fingers to unclasp the keys, her knees cracked as she stood to leave but then eyed the gun still sticking from the pocket. She leaned back down and tugged it from his pants. She didn't know if the guard was the only one there or who they might meet.

She slipped through the still open bathroom door glancing down the short corridor to make sure no one came running to his aid. She pulled the door closed behind her and made her way to Stiles. She was actually thankful her bare feet made her stealthy even if they were cold and numb.

She peeked around the corner of the room to be sure no one was in with Stiles. She was relieved to find the room empty and then very nearly had a panic attack when she didn't see Stiles right off hand. She nearly cried in relief breath when she spotted him slumped by the bars.

"Lyds?" He asked picking his limp head from the bars and looked at her disbelievingly. His eyes looked bleary and he even looked paler with his fever bright cheeks than he had been when she'd left. What had it cost him to crawl down there?

"What are you doing on the floor?" She admonished as she began going through the key ring with shaky hands. After the third wrong key one finally slipped into the hole and she turned it and with a satisfying clang the door sprang open. She removed the keys and tucked them in her hoodie with the gun. She leaned in and rushed to his arms. He hugged her fiercely.

"Oh my Lyds." Stiles cried openly.

She crushed her lips to his and they kissed for a few heated moments before she pulled back. "We have to go Stiles. I don't know if anyone else is here. Do you think you can stand?"

He gave her a nod and struggled to his feet. She didn't miss the faint gasps and hisses of pain he tried to hide as he stood. He was upright but leaned heavy on her causing her petite figure to slump under the weight. She hoped they didn't need to go far. He was far too heavy for her to support for long. Leaving him would never be an option so if necessary they'd find a place to hide until she could find a way out.

One thing at a time. That's all she could think. Just get outside and see what they could do from there. They'd just reached the door when she heard a shout from behind her. Someone had found the guard's body. She quickly thrust open the exterior door and she and Stiles stumbled through into the blinding light. She quickly pulled the door closed shutting it softly as she could, the shouting voices were immediately muffled but she made out enough to know they were already on the hunt for them. They needed to hide.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17- Run and Escape

Lydia and Stiles shuffled alongside of the building both squinting at the bright sun overhead. There were junk cars and half of truck bodies and tires littered everywhere. Lydia navigated them as best she could to behind a truck body. Stiles was breathing heavily and sweat beaded his brow.

"Let's hide here for a sec." Lydia said as she leaned them up against the body of the rusty vehicle. She could hear the shouts of the men as they started to search for them. It wouldn't take them long to find them.

"You have to go Lydia, just leave me here. You can find help and come back." Stiles told her, his voice waivered but his chocolate eyes were steady as they locked on to her.

She rolled her eyes at him. "As if." She retorted like it was the most ludicrous idea in the world.

"Did you just quote Clueless?" Stiles smirked at her.

"Maybe." She gave him a flirty smile and just for the moment they were transported to someplace else. Like his baby blue Jeep where they used to ride all over just because they could.

She peered over the top of the truck to get a better view. There were three guards looking around outside, they must have already cleared the building. She didn't see Barrow anywhere, she didn't know if that scared her more or not.

She stuffed her hands into her hoodie to produce the revolver she'd pulled off the guard. Stiles's eyes bulged at the item. "Do you know how to use this?"

Now it was his turn to roll his eyes. He held his hand up waiting for her to hand him the gun. He quickly opened it to see it was loaded and ready to go, he flipped it closed expertly giving her a satisfied look. He held the gun loose in his hand in case they needed it.

She waited for the guards to turn the corner before pulling Stiles's arm over her shoulder and moving quickly to another car further from the building. She could feel Stiles weaken more with each jaunt but he never said a word. Again they repeated this routine of checking and then moving to leap frog to the edge of the yard.

"How you holding up?" she whispered next to Stiles's ear. He was resting with his head back against the truck; eyes closed his face pinched and sweaty.

He gave her a thumbs up as he tried to slow his breathing, he was clutching his side weakly. Lydia stretched to her tip toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She peered over the pile of junk and tried to get a beeline on the guards, she could only see one. Where had the other two gone? Hopefully around the other side of the building, Lydia groaned.

"What?" Stiles asked forcing his eyes open.

"We need to be on the other side of the building. That's where the road is. Everything else behind us is all dessert." She flourished her hand behind her as if demonstrating the wide expanse of dessert beyond them.

Stiles didn't say a word just nodded his head and continued to try to remain upright. He shifted his weight to get a look around. "Best option is that fence. We might be able to skirt along it unnoticed. If things go south I can boost you over."

She gave him a glare and stomped her foot, but as her foot was lacking its usual heel it didn't have the effect it normally did. Stiles gave her a small smile and she couldn't help but smile back at him.

"That's a long way. You think you can make it?" She asked him.

"Guess I have to Lyds." Stiles sounded even more exhausted than he looked. "Let me know when you're ready and we'll keep going."

She wished they could just stop here and call it a day but she knew they'd find them before long. "Kay. You ready babe?" It looked like it took him a ton of effort but he nodded and pushed himself upright.

They scurried to the fence line undetected but it wasn't without a price. When she looked at Stiles she could see blood blooming fresh on his shirt, whether from his arm or some other wound she wasn't sure. He looked like he was dizzy and kept blinking and shaking his head as they came to a rest as if he was blinking away the blankness.

"You okay?" She asked as quiet as she could.

"Just need a minute." He told her as he leaned heavily against the pile of rubble they were standing behind. His legs buckled beneath him and he fell on his ass with a small groan.

"Just take easy; let's just rest here for a bit." Lydia's heart was pounding almost more than it had been inside. Stiles's face was almost grey. He didn't look well but they were running out of time, she could hear the guards calling out as they searched for them. Their only hope was to make it to the road and hope that someone might drive by for them to flag down.

That's when her eyes fell upon the SUV. It looked like the SUV that had brought them here. Did they leave the keys in it? Were their cell phones still in there unassembled in the bag? As if Stiles knew what she was thinking "It's too risky Lyds. I doubt they left the keys in it" he said from his spot on the ground.

She gave him a good look and cringed. He seemed to be deteriorating rapidly out in the sun. All of this effort of moving from place to place was costing him. It didn't look like he was capable of making it another jog to the next group of vehicles.

"Listen I'm just going to run over quick and see if the keys are in the ignition or see if our phones are in there still. I'll be quick and then I'll be right back." She could see he made to protest and he tried to stand but collapsed back on the ground. "Shhh. Babe you can hardly move. I'll be quick and careful I promise. I'll be back before you know it. If there are keys I'll come back for you."

She pecked him on his forehead before straightening and taking a quick glance to make sure no guards were in the vicinity. She sprinted as fast as her short legs would carry her. The sand was hot under her feet, sharp rocks poked her as she scurried but she didn't pause, she didn't think, she couldn't afford to.

She reached the vehicle quickly and pulled the driver's door open as quietly as she could. She slipped inside and the heat hit her like an oven. She pulled the door most of the way closed and cast a wary look out windows to make sure no guards were lurking. She didn't see the keys in the ignition, nor were they under the visor. She checked under the seats to see if there was anything under them. She'd just about given up when tried the glove box and found the bag of their disassembled cell phones. She nearly cheered out loud in relief. She pulled the bag out and slipped out of the vehicle shutting the door as softly as she could.

She ran as fast as her legs would carry her back to where she knew Stiles was waiting. She'd almost reached the pile of junk when she was plowed into by someone who knocked her feet completely out from under her and caused her to crash roughly into the ground.

She groaned in surprise and in pain as she could feel the bruises forming. She tried to get to her feet but someone grabbed her by the back of her hair and she screamed as they pulled her to her feet. "Where is he princess? Huh?" The man spat into her ear squeezing her face roughly. "He take off and leave you behind? Coward he is huh? Save his own skin. Oh well… guess we can still have fun with you huh red?"

He was starting to pull her away when again she was knocked to the ground a second time. Stiles had somehow launched out from behind a pile of rubble and tackled the man and had knocked her over in the fray. "Stiles!" She screamed out. The men rolled one way and then another. Stiles got off a punch here or there but the man was hitting back even harder. She was looking for something she could use to knock him off Stiles when she saw his hands go around his throat.

She was starting to panic, her feet felt glued to the ground in terror. Stiles's eyes were bulging. Lydia finally willed her feet to move and she jumped on the man. The man easily shrugged her off as if she was just merely a nuisance. The man re-clasped his hands around Stiles but the momentary break had been enough for Stiles to take a breath and get his bearings.

She saw him fumble something form his pants and just as she registered it was a gun Stiles pulled the trigger and the man slumped immediately off of him. Lydia hurried forward to Stiles's aid where he lay curled on his side trying desperately to draw in air but it came out sort of labored and wheezy. "Babe say something are you okay?" She asked the tears falling freely down her face.

He nodded and choked. He pulled himself into a seated position. "Are you hurt?" His voice was raspy and hoarse, she could see the purple bruise already forming on his throat in the shape of hands, he brought his hand up to her face and began looking her over.

"Stiles there are more guards we have to go." She was standing from her knees when the two guards rounded the corner. She saw them raise their guns and she didn't hesitate before stepping in front of Stiles.

"No. Lydia no." He sounded desperate. "Please no." He was tugging her back with everything he had.

Two shots echoed off the building and carried out into the dessert.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18- Until Then

The Sheriff and Agent McCall had fired at almost the same exact time catching both guards completely by surprise. The men had their guns drawn and were aiming them at what the Sheriff assumed were his son and Lydia. As they rounded the corner the Sheriff broke into a sprint to the huddle of limbs that were sitting amongst the litter.

"Stiles? Stiles?! Lydia!" He skidded to a halt next to them. Stiles was clinging to Lydia desperately his eyes wide and terrified. She sobbed into him and he couldn't make out the broken whispers she said to try and console him.

The Sheriff leaned in and pried the gun out of Stiles's hands and made note of the dead man that laid mere feet from him. He immediately looked his son over and got as close as he could to him, he wasn't sure where to touch him, he didn't want to hurt him.

"Dad?" Stiles said as his eyes finally registered who was there.

"Yes son. We're here, you're okay."

Lydia squeaked in surprise as she slid down off Stiles's lap though the two were still tangled together and he wasn't sure who was holding whom. The rest of the team including Parrish were swarming the building and clearing the grounds. Agent McCall was on the phone calling in reinforcements. He spoke on the radio after he was done.

"Three men but Barrow isn't here." He announced and the Sheriff's heart sank. They needed to find that sick bastard. Agent McCall kneeled next to the kids. "How are you two holding up?"

Lydia wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. "I'm fine. Stiles needs a hospital. Soon." She announced as she turned to sit on her knees with Stiles's good hand clasped in her own. The boy did seem to be drooping with each passing moment.

The Sheriff crawled behind his son allowing him to lean back on him. "Thanks dad." The boy slurred weakly.

"The chopper's is on its way son. Just hang on." McCall said.

And sure enough minutes later a medical transport helicopter landed on the road and the medical personnel swarmed over to them. The Sheriff stepped back his arms wrapped around Lydia's shoulders as they watched them assess Stiles and strap him to a board. He wasn't sure but he was pretty certain this was almost worse than the last time he'd come upon his son months ago when he'd been shot. The only saving grace was that at least time he hadn't been cradling a broken body in his arms.

The Sheriff swallowed thickly. That looked exactly what Stiles had expected to happen. The way the two of them were clinging to each other… how close had the two of them been to dying? He shivered despite the heat.

Lydia's voice called him back to the present, "I want to go with him… can I go with him please?" The medic shook his head. She sounded terrified of him being out of sight.

"No room ma'am. We're taking him to The Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. He'll be in good hands."

She ran forward and grasped Stiles's hand in hers and kissed it. "I'll see you soon babe. Hang in there until then. I love you."

As they lifted Stiles to the waiting helicopter the Sheriff and Lydia trailed along. Stiles managed to slide the oxygen mask aside enough that they could make out him calling out for Lydia. "Sir you need to leave the mask on." One of the medics admonished half-heartedly as they paused in their transport.

The look on Stiles's face was heartbreaking. He looked like a lost little boy, like he had when they'd lost his mother. "I love you Lyds. Don't' leave me… I'm scared. I'm scared they really took you and I've snapped, this is a dream."

"You're not dreaming babe we made it I promise. Your dad and I will drive to the hospital as fast as we can. I'll see you soon."

The Sheriff could see his son give her a weak smile and then offered him a wave. "Until then Lyds. See you soon daddy-o."

They stayed long enough to watch the chopper take off and then the Sheriff led Lydia to the car, halfway her knees buckled. The Sheriff swiftly picked her up and carried her bridal style and laid her in the back of the car on the seat before climbing in next to her. McCall appeared and hopped in the driver's seat to be their chauffer without a word. The man nodded at the Sheriff in understanding and backed out of the driveway.

"You call Melissa yet?" He asked the Sheriff as he pulled out onto the highway and set his light on to strobe and proceeded to speed.

"You don't want the pleasure?" The Sheriff asked him with a knowing grin making the agent laugh. The Sheriff pulled out his phone and hit one on the speed dial.

"We've got them. Mel we found them." And then the Sheriff broke down, he felt Lydia's small hand snake its way into his and he squeezed it, thankful for presence and her comfort. After a few moments of tears he continued speaking on the phone. "Stiles is in route to Colton, Lydia's here with me. Can you meet us there?"

Melissa had managed to utter a simple "yes" before hanging to tell Scott the good news.

The Sheriff felt an unbelievable sense of relief but also growing unease. He needed to focus on Stiles's well-being. As soon as his son was on the mend and in the clear he'd sit down with McCall and see if they could find out what had become of Barrow Sr.

He wouldn't let him slip though his fingers. Not this time.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19- Recovery. Or the Start of One

Stiles had never ridden in a helicopter before. He had tried to stay awake to actually take in the experience but after the initial sweeping sensation of the chopper picking up from the ground he couldn't remember much. He startled awake a few times when they would bank or they'd hit some sort of turbulence. He couldn't help it. He was so unbelievable tired.

He was also terrified. He hated doctors and hospitals and being helpless more than anything. He'd been in them since he could remember with his mother. She'd battled a long time before succumbing to her illness. There were times he wished that she'd fought harder and other times that wished she'd just given up and not suffered for his sake.

He'd felt them prick his arms to start an IV, the mask over his face made him feel claustrophobic but they had threatened to restrain him if he removed it again so he left it alone. When he was conscious he tried to keep up with what they were asking him or telling him, and more importantly what they said to each other. He'd heard more medical jargon than he could comprehend but he caught enough, septicemia, internal bruising, possible internal hemorrhage, concussion, fractured ribs, shock… he felt the edges of panic creep up on him so he tuned back out. Instead he pictured Lydia, smiling and happy. He replayed her farewell over and over in his head. Especially the 'I love you'. He kept telling himself that this was all real, especially with the amount of pain he was in, it had to be.

When he woke again and was shocked to see he was being wheeled along the rooftop of the hospital, he wasn't sure how long he was out, at least long enough to land. The people were swarming over him and again he felt so scared and completely alone even given the proximately of all the people. He kept looking for Lydia and his father even though he knew that there was no way they would be there yet. He longed for a familiar face.

When another doctor stepped up, his face partially obscured by a mask Stiles panicked, it was Barrow! Barrow was here waiting for him! He hadn't left the job unfinished; he'd just had a new and twisted way to torture him. To think he'd thought that he got away only to fall right back in his hands! Stiles tried to fling himself off the gurney as they wheeled him into the ER but pairs of hands pushed him back.

He screamed and shouted but no one would listen. Instead he felt the hot prick of a needle in his neck, they'd sedated him! When he awoke again he was still really groggy, the examination light over him was blinding and he blinked away tears. His body felt oddly numb though painful sensations were slowly creeping back in. His mind was slow and thick like molasses. He started to panic when he found a tube down his throat constricting his movements even further.

"Stiles I need to you to stay calm okay? You are safe now but I can't have you hurting yourself more okay? Nod if you understand." He nodded still unsure if what he'd seen before had been real.

The nurse seemed friendly enough, her kind face resembling that of Mrs. McCall slightly and it set him at ease. "You've got a tube down your throat so don't try to talk. You've just come out of surgery and we'll remove it here as soon as we're sure you're stable. Do you understand?"

He nodded groggily already feeling the tendrils of the drugs trying to drag him back under. "I'm supposed to tell you that your Dad and Lydia are here and waiting in your room for you and you'll see them soon." She gave him a kind hearted smile as she busied herself filling in some measurements on his chart.

Stiles felt slightly uncomfortable and tried to adjust his position but it was like someone had stabbed him with a white hot poker and he flinched and tried to whine. "Are you having pain?" She asked but she was fading out and back in. It hurt so badly. What had they done to him?

"Stiles stay with me. Hon are you in pain?" This time he managed a nod though he couldn't pry his eyes open to look at her. He heard her rustle around for a minute, "Okay hang on I'm giving you something just try and relax."

He could feel the narcotic push into the IV, it was like a hot liquid rushing into him and only a moment later he was feeling less like death and more like a hit and run victim.

After that he dozed on and off never really sure how long he managed to sleep. The machines around him beeped and swooshed but he found it oddly comforting. He awoke as they were removing the ventilator, though he wished he could have slept through that because it burned horribly and involuntary tears sprang forth.

Not long after they wheeled him from the recovery unit to a closed unit. He was both relieved and worried to see a uniformed officer posted outside his room. His idea that Barrow or one of his henchmen might come to finish the job apparently wasn't as farfetched as he'd tried to convince himself. At least they were taking precautions and he could rest a little easier.

As they wheeled the bed into place Stiles saw his father standing and ready to pounce as soon as the nurses had him settled. Stiles could see Lydia's strawberry blonde locks spread out from under arm where she slept curled up in a reclining chair. He brought his eyes back to his father who gave him a smile and a shushing motion as to not wake the girl.

Stiles thought she resembled a princess sleeping there. He couldn't remember seeing anything more beautiful. The nurses transferred his IV bags and locked the bed and set up all the monitoring devices he still had tethered to him before double checking it again and leaving them alone.

His dad rushed forward eager to see him and Stiles smiled his first real smile in what felt like days. "Daddy-O" he'd tried to sound lighthearted but his voice came out weak and hoarse and it actually physically hurt to talk.

"Shh don't try to talk too much yet. Are you in a lot of pain?" His dad brushed his hair off his forehead and placed a kiss on his head.

"Nah they just pumped me full of the good stuff before they brought me in. Well what's the damage? Eh?"

His dad brought a cup of water from the bedside table and Stiles sipped a few swallows through the straw. It felt like heaven. He continued to drink a few more gulps before settling back on his pillows.

His dad rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "You gave us a good scare son I'm not going to lie. You've been in surgery for a good while." He glanced over at Lydia before addressing Stiles again. "She'll be glad when she wakes up. She was hysterical when we hadn't heard. She just finally gave up and went to sleep not long before they wheeled you in. I thought they were going to sedate her at one point."

"Dad…" he prompted his father.

"Sorry." His father apologized. "It's not easy to talk about you know. I should have been there."

He grasped his father's hand in his good one and shook his head. "Not your fault Pops."

He'd only seen his father cry a handful of times and it never got easier. He gave his dad a moment to collect himself before squeezing his hand prompting the man to continue. "You were pretty sick with infection when you got here. You're going to have some tissue and muscle damage to your shoulder. They had to remove the worst of the muscle and tissue."

Stiles swallowed thickly. He knew it was bad but at least he was alive, he could work on the rest later. His father swallowed and swiped his eyes before he continued. "You have a concussion, broken cheek bone, three broken ribs, severe bruising and contusions, some damage to your vertebrae, a bruised kidney and they had to take out your spleen, they couldn't get the bleeding to stop." His father dissolved into tears.

"It's okay dad, I'm fine. I'll be okay." His dad sat heavily in the chair beside the bed and Stiles held the hand and gave the man some privacy. "How is Lydia please tell me she at least let them look her over and she's had a decent meal?"

His dad lifted his head from the bed and gave Stiles a smile. "She didn't want to but between me and Parrish we forced her to drink. Melissa and Scott got here a little while ago and Scott managed to drag her for a walk and managed to get her to eat a candy bar. She's just been so worried."

"Scott is here?" Stiles perked up at his best friend's name.

"Yes, they are in the waiting room. They only allow two visitors at a time and they didn't have the heart to ask either of us to switch. If you are up for it I can send him in?"

Stiles nodded eagerly but the pain that wracked his body made him slow his movements and take a shaky breath. "Whoa bud take it easy alright?"

Stiles let out another breath before opening his eyes and giving his dad a small smile. "Sure thing."

His dad left and a moment later the door opened to reveal Scott looking pale and younger than his 17 years.

"Stiles!" Stiles nodded his head toward Lydia and Scott immediately reduced his volume to a whisper. "Sorry. Oh my God! I'm so glad you are okay. Both of you!"

"Me too!" Stiles answered. Scott plopped down in the chair his father had vacated. "So tell me… any news on Barrow, Sr.? Dad didn't mention him and judging by my armed guard I'm assuming he's still on the loose?"

Scott shrugged non-committedly. "I don't think I'm supposed to tell you… they haven't even really told me much but from what I gather he and a few of his closest comrades haven't been found yet… but my dad and your dad are working on it. Now that you are okay I think they'll be back at it." Scott said as he picked at the blanket.

"Ugh you need to get my dad to rest. He doesn't look like he's slept." Stiles said as he leaned his head back in exhaustion.

"None of us have I don't think." Scott said as he watched him. "Dude you look exhausted why don't you get some rest and I'll sick mom on your dad. I'll see you soon okay?"

Stiles nodded already drifting off. "Thanks Scottie."


	20. Chapter 20

Sorry this has taken so long to update. I posted the previous chapter while I was at work unbeknownst to me I was going to be blindsided by a company downsizing that very morning. They took my computer but thankfully I'd posted the chapter I'd finished that very morning. My life is in a state of limbo and I'm not sure where it's going... of course this makes me beyond anxious. I've toyed with the idea of self-publishing a novel but can't seem to get to my computer to apply for jobs let alone peck out a novel. I'm not sure I have the talent for one anyway.

I've toyed with the idea of making a sequel to this right from the beginning... maybe if their is enough interest I'll pursue it. Thank you all again for going on this crazy journey with me. And sorry again it took a week for this update... much love to you all!

Chapter 20- No One.

Lydia didn't remember falling asleep, but judging by the light of window it was approaching dawn. She cast her emerald eyes around the room to see what had awoken her when she saw nurses hovering over the figure in the bed. She stretched from the chair and winced at the crick in her neck that had grown along with all her aches and pains from her ordeal in the desert.

The desert, the thought alone made her heart speed up in panic. She had killed someone. No matter that he was a bad man, the thought that she had taken a life made her want to throw up all over again. She heard Stiles mutter something to one of the nurses and he sounded slightly high pitched like he was hurting so she pushed her own inner turmoil to the side to see him.

His amber eyes looked tired and red rimmed when they met hers and even though the nurses were pushing on his multicolored abdomen and he was obviously in some amount of discomfort he still gave her a smile. "Lyds."

"Hey babe." She rushed to the head of the bed and carefully pushed his sweaty hair off his forehead and was relieved to see that his scorching fever had gone. "How are you doing?"

"I'm… jeesh do you have to push that hard?" He yelped to one of the nurses who gave him a guilty look.

"I'm sorry Mr. Stilinski but we have to do this to make sure there's no swelling or clots. We'll have you up in another hour or so to use the bathroom." With that the nurses redressed his nasty looking incision and left the room.

"Sorry about that… that was sort of embarrassing." He brought his good hand up to caress her cheek. His arm tangled in the sheet with the IV tube and he tugged on it to free it some. "How are you? I was glad to see you got some rest."

She smiled and felt her face heat up at the mention of her sleeping. "I'm sorry I don't even remember passing out. I'm seriously thinking either your dad or Melissa slipped me something in my drink." She tried to be nonchalant but the tears sprang forth anyway.

"Hey… it's alright babe. We're okay we made… thanks to you we're safe." He pulled her head to his neck and wrapped his hand around her head and brushed her hair softly placing soft kisses on her cheek. He kept murmuring soft words to her in comfort until she was finally able to bring her crying under control.

"I've made a mess of your shirt." She said as she pulled back and reached for a tissue on the bedside table.

He gave a small laugh before wincing and grabbing at his stomach. "I think they have a few more of these lying around here somewhere."

"I'm sorry… you are the one who is worse for the ware… how are you feeling? Did they tell you anything since surgery? Have they caught Barrow?"

His eyes never left hers as she launched question after question at him, he intertwined her hand with his and her thumb brushed his hand shakily as she fingered the tape where one of the IVs entered his veins.

He had a small smile on his lips as he watched her and she stopped realizing she hadn't given him a chance to answer a single question. She slipped an errant hair behind her ear and looked up at him demurely through her lashes and bit her lip.

"You're beautiful you know that." He had a dopey look on his face.

"How much morphine do they have you on Casanova?" She giggled at him.

"Not nearly enough but I'll live." Her smile dimmed at his words.

"You almost didn't." She said suddenly somber.

"But I did thanks to you. And to answer your first question I'm okay, I'm a little sore but I feel much better than I did. They did tell me I had some surgery… they fixed up my arm and repaired what they could. Apparently I'm sans spleen now. "

His hand brushed her face again as silent tears reemerged. "Sorry… I'm like a leaky faucet over here."

"It's okay Lids. It was a bad situation all around. And to answer your final question the last I'd heard from anyone was last night and then they hadn't caught him. We have a guard outside the door though so we're fine. And I'm sure my dad and the FBI will get him. He didn't seem that smart to me."

A shiver ran up her spine when she realized that the man responsible for everything they had gone through was still at large. She had just started to ponder all the awful ways he could come upon them when she heard a faint vibrating noise. She looked around in confusion then over to Stiles who had a knowing smirk on his face.

"That's your phone. My dad brought them in before he left. Yours has been going crazy, Kira more than likely. Scott told them I was sedated so mine's been silent."

Lydia stepped from the bed and retrieved her phone from atop her bag where someone had left it charging. She quickly moved back to the bed and scooted the chair until it bumped into the side of the bed and reclaimed Stiles's hand as she sat. She had ten new messages from Kira, she smiled at the girl's perseverance. Her mother had several texts and calls as well as several from unrecognized numbers.

She shot out a quick text to her mother and another to Kira and then slipped the phone back in her pocket. "Can I get you anything? Anything at all?" She asked him searching his face.

"Just you." He gave her a sad smile and laid his head back on the pillow.

"I'm not going anywhere. Wild horses couldn't drag me away now. "

"I love you Lids." He mouthed as he sighed and his eyes drooped heavily in exhaustion.

"Go to sleep Stiles. Rest and get better. I'll be here when you wake up, until then… I love you too." She whispered before kissing him on his temple. She slipped her phone from her pocket as he fell back to sleep to text Kira but she couldn't seem to keep herself from smiling. Considering what she had done and what they had both been through and what still might happen with Barrow on the loose… she wondered if she'd lost her mind somewhere in the desert. She realized she didn't care. She'd saved Stiles and they could figure everything else out together. They had each other… and no one could take that from them. No one.


End file.
